A New Start
by God's Warrior
Summary: (COMPLETE) Cosmos is taken from her time by Shinigami to start a new life as Usagi once more. She meets the G boys and is reunited with those from her past. Can love keep her alive once more or will she give up? (DuoUsagi pairing)
1. Alive?

Cosmos sat in the shadows of the park, silently watching and listening to those around her. No one remembered a thing. Since the final battle with Galaxia everything had changed. The people had no recollection of the Sailor Senshi or Tuxedo Kamen. They only knew one protector and that was Sailor Cosmos, the silent watcher. Every day she wondered what life would be like if they were still alive. But it was better this way. They weren't around to have the burden of saving the world on their shoulders. They were finally free. And Mamoru didn't have to worry about their destiny any more. Even if she was all alone now she was grateful that they weren't a part of that lifestyle anymore. 

                Streetlights began to light up one by one as the evening stars twinkled to life. Moving out of the shadows into the darkening night she began to make her rounds. The people knew her well by now and knew that she was their Guardian. When she had fought Galaxia she had permanently become Cosmos since she could never find a way to de-henshin. They smiled as she walked past yet she didn't respond. She wanted to be alone so she began her rounds in the most desolate part of the park, the spot where the Sailor Senshi had last been seen. 

                As she walked she could sense another presence, and it wasn't human. It reminded her of Sailor Pluto's crystal energy yet very different. It had authority and darkness mixed together with something else she couldn't quite decipher. Twisting her wrist she allowed Sailor Uranus' space sword to materialize in her hand. When they had died all of their abilities had been fused with her own. Stopping in her tracks she stared emotionlessly at a section of darkly shadowed trees. Silence reigned as the shadows shifted and a metallic glint could be seen from their depths. A false hope flooded her chest as she thought for a split second that the Senshi of Death and Rebirth had come back. Quickly she squelched it, reminding herself once again that they were dead. The metallic glint flashed once more and remained in the light of the moon, allowing her to see the being's position. 

                "Step forward and state your name and business here on Earth or be killed." A low, almost mocking laughter ensued from the shadows. From the tone she could tell it was a male's voice. Frowning slightly she gripped the silver, crystal studded handle of the sword. When it had been in Uranus' possession it had been gold, covered in priceless gems.

                "You can't kill death Serenity." Her eyes widened in shock as her name was spoken. All beings who knew that name were dead, each and every one. Scowling deeply she attempted to pierce the darkness with her silvery gaze.

                "I command you step forth or be banished to an eternity of hell." Another burst of laughter filled the silence and the shadows moved once more as he stepped out. A shiver of recognition ran up and down her spine yet she couldn't tell why. She had never seen this man before in her life.

                The metallic object was the first to emerge fully into the light and she found that it was actually a scythe. The hand holding it was pale, as pale as her own yet without the silver glow. Loose silken black robes clung to his chest while exposing a triangle of skin. They flowed freely past his waist where a silver chain hung to keep the robes on his slim figure. The robes ended in a silken mass at his feet, covering his black pants and bare feet. An intricate silver cross hung around his neck, occupying the pale skin exposed by the robes. Long knee length hair hung in a neat braid, long bangs hanging over his eyes and keeping them from view. His pale lips were pursed in a thin line, the left corner quirked in a smirk. A small silver cross hung from his left ear lobe, throwing silver sparks over his rigid face. Placing his right arm over his stomach he bowed low, curving his lips into a sinister smile. 

                "Is this more to your liking Your Highness?" Dark, silvery violet eyes flashed up at her as he spoke. Allowing a stoic mask to cover her face Cosmos spoke through clenched teeth as he stood straight.

                "Yes. Now tell me who you are and what business you have here." The cold edge in her voice seemed to amuse him for his smile turned genuine. 

                "You've changed so much Princess since we last met. Yet I cannot blame you for not remembering me, it's my own fault. For now you may address me as Shinigami." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I have been sent here to release you of your duties as Cosmos and bring you to my own time." 

                "Under whose authority?" Cosmos couldn't suppress the growl in her tone. This man was beginning to irritate her. 

                "The Princess Setsuna of Pluto, Guardian of the Gates of Time, Senshi of time and space and bearer of the garnet key." Menacingly Cosmos brandished the blade of the space sword towards him, taking a step forward. 

                "You're lying! You dare to insult my intelligence with foolish titles of the past! Tell me the truth and I'll consider sparing you your life!" Shinigami stood straight, gripping his silver scythe as his lips became a tight line.

                "I never lie, it is forbidden. The Guardian of Time is alive and well. She herself has sent me to retrieve you." Snarling in an animalistic manner, Cosmos stormed up to him. The blade vanished from her grasp as she pointed accusingly at him, silver fire dancing in the depths of her eyes.

                "The Guardian of Time is dead. I was forced to kill her myself. As the ruler and guardian of the moon and Earth I demand that you stop with the lies and tell me who really sent you." Sensing that he was getting nowhere with merely talking Shinigami took out a velvet pouch from behind his back. Opening the drawstrings he took her hand in his with the palm facing up.

                "The Lady of Pluto knew you would not believe me. I should have done this from the start." As he spoke he emptied the contents of the pouch into her hand. "A token for you." 

                A soft gasp escaped Cosmos' silvery pink lips as a garnet orb fell into her palm. It was much smaller than she remembered but there was no doubt it belonged to the Senshi of Time. Without this garnet she was stripped of her powers. The only way it could be taken out of her staff was if she herself removed it. The orb also informed her of the trust that Pluto must have held for Shinigami. If placed in the wrong hands the orb could disrupt the time continuum and destroy planets. Rolling it gently in her fingers she lowered her head, clutching it within her slender fingers.

                "This must be some sort of trick. I watched her die…" Shinigami stepped closer to her.

                "Certain Guardians are not allowed to die. If they do they are merely revitalized. She must remain alive because it is her duty to guard all of time, as it is yours to guard this solar system. She shall live for eternity, just as you and I shall." Looking up into his violet eyes she couldn't help but see the truth. Another shiver traveled through her body as his eyes locked onto her own. They were so familiar yet she couldn't place her finger on where they were from. Closing her eyes in shame she lowered her head once more.

                "Take me to her." A cold hand gently touched her silvery skin and pulled away instantly. Opening her eyes she found herself standing in the middle of a dense fog.


	2. Unexpected Danger

A/N: I know these two chapters are short but please forgive me. I'm not even sure people are going to like this. Give it another chapter or two to get going before flaming me. Thanks!

Dark, ominous doors stood off in the distance, dimmed by the fog. A shadow began emerge from the fog and Cosmos held her breath. Long, emerald green hair that fell to the woman's calves was partially held up in a bun atop her head. Dark, maroon eyes shone brightly in the reflected light of the space. Slightly olive colored skin glistened with moisture, as did her long hair. A staff resembling a key with a heart at the top rose a foot above the woman's head as she walked. 

Her hands were gloved, the tops of the white gloves reaching her elbows. The edges of the gloves were rimmed with a dark purple. On her feet were knee high white, high-heeled boots also rimmed with purple trim. She wore what appeared to be a sailor's outfit. The short skirt was black, along with the triangular color that flared over her shoulders. The white bodice contained a large purple bow, which matched the rims of the gloves. In the cent of the bow was a garnet similar to one in Cosmos' hand. Around her neck was a purple choker, a small garnet dangling from the center. Miniature garnets accented her ears as well. The golden tiara upon her forehead completed the ensemble.

                "Puu?" Cosmos' voice was weak and her knees stiff. Her breath came in shallow puffs. Her winged crystal staff fell to the ground as the woman came in to full view. The woman held her arms out, dropping her time key as she smiled lovingly.

                "Serenity." Her soft voice spoke volumes as Cosmos threw herself at her, embracing her tightly as tears streamed down her cheeks. The two ageless guardians stood for some time crying in each other's arms. Shinigami leaned upon his scythe, allowing a hint of a smile to grace his lips. It was worth leaving his dimension to bring these two together once more. It was worth it just to see her again. When their tears had dried they pulled away, smiling. Holding out her hand Cosmos exposed the small garnet.

                "I almost didn't come." Setsuna smiled, taking the orb from her Princess' hand. 

                "That is precisely why I gave him the orb. I know how stubborn you can be." They smiled again as Setsuna placed the orb in the center of the heart on her staff. In the blink of an eye the orb was snuggled safely in the heart, having reached its normal fist size. 

                "I thought you were all dead. I mean, I was the one who…" The lump in her throat cut her off before she could finish. Setsuna's gaze was full of understanding as the two picked up their staffs. 

                "Yes, I know Serenity. I'm you were left alone to guard the few that survived Galaxia's attack." Cosmos' eyes turned dark as she looked down.

                "It doesn't matter. They're safe now." 

                "I have an offer for you Serenity." Her head slowly rose to look at the taller woman. "You have another chance to live a semi-normal life. Your abilities will only be used once to wipe out an army and end a war, yet that is it. After that you will be free to do as you wish yet you will still have the royal blood in your veins. I cannot undo that. The men you will be staying with have no idea of who you truly are. They have their own secrets." Nodding her head she glanced down at her own sailor outfit.

                For nearly seven years she had worn the same thing. It was a silvery white outfit almost identical to Setsuna's. The only difference was that her own had ribbons of color on the front of the silver skirt, symbolizing each of her Senshi. A crystal sat above the ribbons of color just under where her belly button was. On either side it had three pearls and wings. In the center of her chest a the same crystal ornament only it was alone, it had no silver ribbons trailing from it. The collar of her outfit was a silvery blue with two yellow stripes around the edges. Her sleeves were yellow. On each sleeve was a wing with three pearls at the base. Around her neck was a yellow choker with a crystal in the center. Seven years she had been known as nothing but Cosmos. Would she know how to be herself once her duties were taken from her?

                "I don't know how to de-henshin Puu. How can I fit in amongst them if I can't be myself?" 

                "But you can." Cosmos' head shot up at that answer.

                "You mean that all this time I could have been myself? How? I've tried everything." Setsuna walked up to her and gently pressed the eight-pointed star on her forehead. The three pearls on either side lit up as did the center star before a white light engulfed her body. When it was gone she found herself in her school uniform, the last thing she had worn before her battle with Galaxia. 

Her hair still reached the floor yet was no longer silver. Instead it was a pale gold. Instead of her heart shaped odangos her hair was up in the traditional, round odangos. Her skin had kept its silver shimmer but was no longer pure white. A slight color had come to her skin. Touching the hem of her knee length, navy plaited skirt. The white shirt came to a halt just above her belly button and the blue ties hung down the center. Her locket was still in the center. 

"I used to hate this outfit." A smile crept upon her face as she remembered. "Seiya liked how it looked on me, he said it made me look innocent." Her eyes glazed over slightly.

"He loved you very much Usagi." Shinigami watched the shiver pass through her body at the name. It must have been strange to hear her real name after to many years. As her gaze landed on him he felt every nerve ending in his body tighten. Her haunted blue eyes held a hint of the smile on her face yet held oceans of pain and knowledge. Why was he feeling like this? He had gotten over her so long ago. Yet it was as if he had been dunked into a frozen lake. Walking up to him she took his hands in hers. 

"Thank you Shinigami." With a curt nod and a twitch of his lips he accepted her thanks.

"The two of you must leave now for Shinigami's time. You have already been gone too long." She began to lead them towards the gates. "Once inside you two must hold hands and never let go. If you do it could have serious consequences. I recommend flying over the path, it's the fastest way across." Smiling once they reached the doors she inserted the end and turned it. With a low moan the doors swung open. Quickly transforming back into Cosmos she looked over at Setsuna.

"Thank you so much Puu." Soft white wings appeared on her back as she spoke. Quickly embracing her friend she stepped back. A cool hand soon took hold of her own and she glanced over to see Shinigami standing ready. Black wings adorned his back and the slight breeze coming from the vast space before them made his bangs dance over his eyes.

"It's time." Taking a step forward he brought her with him. The feeling that pitted in her stomach as they flew forth unnerved her. Something wasn't quite right. A gust of cold wind passed over them and drew them to a stop. Instinctively Cosmos turned to look back as the gates slammed shut, Setsuna's cry of warning dying before it could get past them. Releasing Shinigami's hand she turned to go back but was thrown to the clear platform suspended in space. She heard him cry out and saw him dive for her yet couldn't understand why. Then everything suddenly went black.


	3. A 'piece' is found

A/N: Things are a little rocky in this chapter. Don't worry; I'll explain everything in later chapters. Thank you for your reviews! (PS- I'm taking votes on couples. So far it's Hiiro: 2, Duo: 1)

"I think she's beginning to come around." Quatre hovered over the pale form of the girl on the bed. Her eyes slowly opened before dropping shut again. 

"I still think the onna should be dead. Why did we even bother to—?" Wufei's statement was cut short as the platinum haired Arabian glared at him with his piercing blue eyes. Scowling the Chinese pilot folded his arms and placed his head back against the wall. His ebony eyes landed on the girl as he snorted in disgust. 

"So you think she'll remember anything?" Duo spoke from his spot on the floor. Since arriving he had sat next to the girl's bed, unwilling to leave her side. At first Wufei had threatened to chop off his braid but Duo had won. Wufei would never admit to it but he was scared of Maxwell when he became angry.

"Hn." Duo sighed exasperatedly at Hiiro who was leaning against the window molding. Hiiro glanced once more at the sleeping form of the girl, his gaze hidden by messy locks of dark, chocolate brown hair. 

"Shut up Hi-man. You're the one that scared her into unconsciousness!" Hiiro glared at Duo, earning to his surprise a look of malice.

"Both of you be quiet! She's waking up." Duo sat up and leaned on the edge of the bed, staring intently at the face of the pale beauty. Her eyes slowly opened, glazed over in confusion and sleep. Quatre leaned over her.

"How are you feeling?" Her pale eyebrows knitted together as she gazed intently at him.

"Taiki?" One of Quatre's eyebrows rose in mild surprise at her statement.

"No, my name is Quatre." Her nose scrunched up in a manner that made her look like a little girl.

"Have we met?" 

"No, we haven't. We found you in the middle of the park looking very battered. My comrades and I," He motioned towards the other pilots, "tried to talk to you but you wouldn't answer. Hiiro pointed a gun at you because he thought you might have been an officer for OZ and that's how we ended up here in my house." Duo snorted in mock laughter.

"House my but. This place is a mansion." The girl's head moved towards the window where Quatre had indicated that this 'Hiiro' person stood. His emotionless, Prussian blue eyes bore into her own, daring her to speak to him. Yet she didn't. Instead her gaze turned to the ceiling and her eyes became distant.

"I don't remember that. All I remember was Setsuna screaming at me. And…Shinigami was coming for me, to save me." She sat up abruptly, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed as she stood. "I must find him!" Her tone was desperate. Before any pilot could move she was running to the door. Yet she didn't get move than five feet before she collapsed. Hiiro had moved faster than anyone had suspected he could and caught her before she hit the ground. Picking her up he cradled her against his chest, taking his time while walking back to the bed.

"What was she talking about?" Quatre watched as Hiiro placed her in the bed, noticing the gentleness in his movements. Duo stared at the girl as Hiiro pulled away and retreated to his corner. She was beginning to worry him.

"I think we should leave and let her rest." Quatre took Duo's shoulder and steered him out of the room. Wufei was already ahead of them, heading for his own room down the hall. Hiiro stood for a moment at the door, just staring at her. Something about her drew him in. Shaking off the feeling he shut off the light and closed the door halfway so that the light in the hall would fall into her room. 

Usagi awoke with a blinding headache. The darkness of the room startled her at first until she noticed the crack of light in the doorway. Groggily she sat up, holding her head in a feeble attempt to stop the room from spinning. When she tried to remember how she had gotten in where she was she drew a blank. The only things she remembered were a dark shadow and a figure without a face. Desperately she tried to figure out where she was and panicked when she couldn't figure it out. What was going on? Why couldn't she remember anything? 

Standing up she felt a pain in her side and her knees nearly buckled under the pain. Grimly she forced herself forward towards the door, desperately trying to gain a hold of her surroundings. Upon stepping into the hall she was stunned. On either side the halls extended for what seemed to be forever before branching off. A stair way was located about five yards to her left on the opposite side. The light came from an antique lamp mounted high up on the wall. Identical lamps lined either side of the hall every two yards. It was the she noticed what she was wearing. A pair of black, baggy sweatpants and a loose white muscle tank adorned her frail frame. Frowning she thought that they looked odd on her. She knew that those weren't her clothes. 

Slowly she began to walk down the hall, the plush comfort of the carpet soothing her oddly sore feet. Along the walls were paintings of people she had never seen before in life. Yet, how would she know? She couldn't even remember her parents or how she gotten here let alone people of her past. Whoever owned this house must have been very wealthy. Odd how she could remember things such as that and not remember what she had eaten for breakfast. Lifting her arms above her head she stretched, standing on her tiptoes as she did so. It felt good to walk. 

"Miss?" The soft voice startled her out of her thoughts and she jumped, turning around to see who had spoken. A young man with platinum blonde hair and striking blue eyes stood in a doorway next to he own. He wore light gray night pants with a matching shirt. Something about him sparked a light of recognition within her.

"Where am I?" His smile was comforting as he walked towards her, hands in his pockets. 

"My mansion. My name is Quatre Winner." The memory slammed into her head like a train hitting a brick wall.

"I remember now. You and your friends brought me here." He nodded, stopping to stand before her.

"Yes, we did. I see you're feeling much better." Now it was her turn to nod. "You were unconscious for nearly three days. We were afraid you'd go into a coma."

"Why?" 

"You sustained a severe head injury. When we found you, you couldn't even speak." She nodded in understanding, walking along the hall with him by her side.

"How can you own such a massive structure?"

"I inherited it when my parents died, along with all of their other estates." Her eyes widened as she looked at him. Quatre merely laughed.

"You have more than one?"

"Yes, I have a home on nearly all the colonies, if not more than one." He smiled, his vibrant eyes locking onto her own. "I'm sorry but I have yet to know your name." 

"My name is Usagi…" She paused in mid-sentence, stunned. She couldn't remember her last name. She couldn't remember anything about herself except her first name. Her mind swam once more the harder she tried to remember. It was then she noticed the arm Quatre had around her to keep her from falling.

"Are you alright?" There was concern in his light voice.

"I think so…" He began to lead her carefully back to her room.

"You're still quite weak. I think it would be best if we went and got you something to eat." They began to descend the stairs and it was then she noticed the flight branching off to go up another floor. Through the window ahead of them above the main entrance she could see a faint light staining the bottom.

"What time is it?"

"Around six in the morning." They had reached the bottom and were now walking through another long hall.

"I'm sorry I woke you."

"You didn't. I'm always up at five, although today I just stayed in my room. Ah, here we are." Quatre led her into a large kitchen with an island counter large enough to seat thirty people. Taking a seat at the end she watched as he went to leave. "Stay here. I'll be right back with some food." 

His smile reassured her and she stayed put. It was odd how nice he was treating her. It had been disappointing to know that he didn't know her at all. In a way she had been hoping he would be able to help her remember her past. As she sat there her mind began to wander. Who had she been before coming here? What kind of life did she lead? When she thought of her age a number that was absurd popped into her head. There was no way she had lived through three centuries. 

"Hello." Once again she was shocked out of her thoughts by a male voice. He stood in front of her, wearing nothing but baggy black pants. It was obvious where she had gotten the pair she was wearing. He went to the over sized refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water, his chestnut braid falling over his shoulders. She couldn't remember ever seeing a man with a braid that long before. Yet as with Quatre, his smile sparked recognition.

"Hi." He sat on the stool across from her, his violet blue eyes gazing at her with laughter. She liked his smile.

"I'm Duo Maxwell, one of Quatre's buds. I just passed him in the hall. So, how are you feeling?" She struggled to find her voice, his gaze captivating her.

"I'm fine, thank you." Something about him made her skin tingle and her breath shorten. She knew him from somewhere and it was bothering her that she couldn't remember why. He looked over her shoulder to the doorway and grinned. Turning to look she saw another young man walk in wearing gray sweatpants and a white muscle tank. His jet black hair was held back in a low ponytail that looked as if it hurt. His dark eyes landed on her and seemed to mock her.

"Shouldn't the weak onna be in bed?" Anger flared up inside of her. She wasn't weak that much she knew for some odd reason. She knew if she were to fight him she's win, hands down. She scowled as he reached into the fridge and drew out a bottle of water as well.

"Don't mind Wu-man, he's always like that." She saw the anger in the Chinese man's face at Duo's comment. Before he could verbally abuse Duo she stepped in.

"Maybe if he loosened that ponytail of his he'd be able to think straight. Obviously he isn't at the moment or he'd take back what he said about me." Wufei looked at her and turned red before scowling deeply. Duo covered his mouth to suppress the snickers escaping his mouth. 

"What did you say onna?" Usagi stood, coming face to face with him.

"You heard me Wu-man no baka." Wufei blanched and growled low in his throat. Her statement set him off. Just as he was about to grab Usagi's face and yell at her there was a click close to her ear. Wufei froze on the spot, his anger still visible. The sound registered in Usagi's mind as the safety switch of a gun being removed. Now how would she know that?

"Omae of korosu if you touch her." Usagi felt a hand on her waist and an odd feeling swept over her. She felt extremely safe for some odd reason. Wufei immediately stepped back and grunted. Grabbing his water he left the room. Duo burst into the laughter the moment he left and it was then the hand left her waist. 

"Did you see Wu-man's face Hiiro? That was priceless!" The man who had held her stepped forward and also took a drink of water. He wore black sweatpants and a black muscle tank. He had been the one to catch her in the room. Her heart jumped when he looked up at her and she felt a blush creep onto her face. Her mind seemed to tell her to stop, that she never blushed. 

"Hn." His response was spoken in a monotone, something she wasn't used to. Ripping her gaze away she saw Quatre walk through the doorway.

"Miss Usagi, breakfast is ready." She nodded and shyly followed him. 

Once she entered the dining room her eyes settled on one thing and one thing only. A young man sitting in one of the six chairs. His hazel bangs hung over one emerald eye, leaving the other one exposed. She stopped in her tracks as his image registered. She didn't see Wufei on the other side of the room, didn't see Quatre and Duo's puzzled expression, and didn't see Hiiro step up beside her. The young man's eyes were wide in surprise, just as her own were. The men around them were thoroughly confused as he stood.

"Serenity…" Trowa's voice croaked as he looked at her. His shock was evident. 

"Artemis!"


	4. Shinigami

A/N: Yes, I know it's a shock about Artemis. But you have to give me time to explain. Trust me, her memories will come back fully within the next chapter or two. And so far the voting stands Hiiro/Usa- 5, Duo/Usa- 3 I like them both though. The voting will be closed after I post chapter 6 cuz that's when I need to know. Thank you for all your wonderful reviews! It's really encouraged me!

"What are you doing here?" Trowa rushed forward, taking her hands in his own. Everyone stared as they talked amongst themselves, completely shocked at what they were hearing.

"I don't know. I can't remember anything." 

"How did you know it was me?" She shook her head, tears gathering in her eyes.

"I don't know! Oh Artemis! I thought you were dead!" She fell into his arms, crying. Trowa held her close, tears coming to his own eyes.

"You're not supposed to be here Serenity. Setsuna was supposed to guide you through after I had left." Usagi's mind filled with images of large gates shutting and being hidden by mist, a young woman locked up behind them. She felt frightened, and the figure over her was the only thing that could save her. But a shadow came, blocking everything else out.

"Something happened Arty…I was attacked. And Shinigami…he was taken away." Duo stiffened as Trowa looked over at him. He should have known.

"It's okay Serenity, we'll figure everything out. We'll get your memory back." She pulled away and smiled.

"You look so different. What do they call you here? And when did you get here?"

"Trowa Barton. I was sent here right after...you know." She furrowed her brows.

"No, I don't know." Trowa sighed.

"You'll remember soon enough. It's best not to tell you now, you should remember it on your own." Putting up a hand he halted Wufei before a word could escape him. "I am not telling any of you anything so don't bother asking. When the time is right I will reveal all that is going on. Usagi is too weak at the moment to recall her past." Quatre nodded and pulled out a chair. The pilots stood for a moment before settling down in their seats.

"Then, why don't we eat and forget this encounter? That way we won't be tempted to remember." His cheery smile brought a smile to her lips. Sitting down she watched as Trowa too the seat to her right and Quatre took the one to her left. Across from her sat Duo and to his left was Wufei, Hiiro at his right. Breakfast was spent with idle chitchat. Everyone seemed to have forgotten the encounter that Trowa and Usagi had just had. And it was because someone had allowed everyone but Trowa, Usagi and Duo to forget. They couldn't risk finding out, not yet.

The comfortable mood was shattered when Duo suddenly stood, Wufei pounding on the table. Soon Wufei was chasing him through the mansion, shouting things about 'injustice to his family line' or some nonsense like that. Usagi laughed as Wufei threatened to chop off Duo's braid and Duo yelped. Quatre sighed in exasperation when Duo dove under the table, making it bounce as his head hit it. Apparently this was a daily routine. When he got out, he left under Usagi's chair, earning a gasp of surprise as she tumbled backwards onto the floor. Duo grunted as the chair landed on his back, toppling off to leave Usagi in it's place. She groaned in mild pain as Quatre and Trowa came rushing up to her. 

"Miss Usagi! Are you alright?" Gently he helped to stand her up with Trowa's help. Turning to Duo he frowned. "And you! What were you thinking! Can't you see she's hurt as it is?" Trowa, Duo and Wufei stared at Quatre as he yelled. It took a lot to get him that upset. What surprised everyone the most was when Hiiro came up and took Duo by the neck and held him off the ground.

"You ever pull a stunt like that again and I swear you won't live a second longer." With that he dropped him and turned to Usagi. His stoic expression was in place yet she caught a glimpse of worry pass through his eyes. "Are you alright?" All she could do was nod.

"Well then, I think that's enough excitement for now. Why don't you go upstairs and change Miss Usagi? Trowa went out and bought a few items of clothing for you." Turning to Trowa she smiled lovingly, knowing that he had known all along what was going to happen. The look went unnoticed by everyone else in the room.

"Thank you Trowa. And Quatre, please just call me Usagi." Quatre's face flushed lightly as he nodded and smiled.

"Do you need help finding your room?" Trowa looked at her and she got the point.

"Yes, thank you." Together they left the room, leaving behind a flustered group of young men. It wasn't long before they heard the beginnings of a new brawl between Duo and Wufei as they climbed the stairs. When they were half way up the steps Trowa slowed their pace.

"You can't let them know who I am Serenity. If they know, then everything will be ruined. For two years I have been known as Trowa Barton, and if they know who I am without knowing who you are first everything will be destroyed." Usagi smiled. She still wasn't sure how that worked but in her heart she knew she would sooner or later. 

"I won't say a thing. But Artemis… I feel horrible. I know I used to be known as Princess Serenity, but I have no clue as to who she was. I don't remember anything besides the name." When the tears came to her eyes Trowa smiled and gently brushed them away. 

"Don't worry, everything will fall into place when the time is right." They now stood before her bedroom door. "Now go get dressed." With a kiss on the forehead he steered her into her room, shutting the door behind her.

Usagi sighed as she undressed and stepped into the shower. She was startled to see her body covered in scars. They were horrifying. Cautiously she ran her slender fingers over the length of each one, counting them. There had to be over a hundred total. Sighing she began to wash her floor length hair, using the coconut shampoo that had been provided.

"Whoever I was, I must have been into fighting. Either that or I was beaten a lot."  Her mind drifted to a song she had once heard, or at least thought she had heard. It was a soft melody, something that reminded her of the moon. Gentle, romantic and comforting at the same time. It had no words but she knew it well. 

When she was done with her shower she stepped out, wrapping herself in the plush towels that had been left for her. The clothes laid out on her bed were more than a 'few' as Quatre had put it. Trowa had bought her a whole wardrobe. Everything from formal to casual, workout clothes to sleep wear. There were even a few stacks of undergarments. Upon seeing the undergarments Usagi flushed a deep pink and shoved them into a drawer. She could only imagine what Trowa must have felt like buying those things. 

After putting everything away she decided upon a white t-shirt and faded blue jeans. There was a pair of fuzzy pink slippers in the base of her closet, along with ten other pairs of shoes. Quatre and Trowa certainly had gone all out for her. Slipping into the slippers she began to brush her hair while walking out the door. Once out in the hall she stopped abruptly, something in her heart telling her to wait. Turning her head a little to the side she saw Duo standing against the wall, grinning at her.

"Uh—hi." She stopped brushing her hair, finding herself staring. He, along with all the other men in this house, was very well built. As he strode towards her she noticed the silver cross dangling around his neck, reaching the center of his chest. How could she have missed that before? Or was he not even wearing it before? Well, now he wore a black sleeveless t-shirt, perhaps that was what made it stand out. After all, his skin was very pale. It reminded her of her own skin. But the cross itself reminded her of something. Everything about this place and these people reminded her of something and it was hurting her that she didn't know how.

"Q-man went out for a little while. He had to stop by his office. And since Trowa went to visit his sister and Wufei is training he told me help you find your way around." His smile was warm and made her feel safe. 

"What about Hiiro?" Together they descended the stairs.

"He's somewhere. When Hi-man doesn't want to be found, he makes sure you can't find him. He's a very reserved kind of guy." Duo caught a glimpse of her out the corner of his eye. She was brushing her hair as they walked. How she didn't  trip over it he would never know. Her hair fell past the floor in a silvery blonde pool. He wanted to tell her he knew her, that he knew everything about her past. He wanted to hold her and have her hold him in return. With a sigh he looked ahead, noticing they had stopped in the middle of the hall.

"Do you know where I can find a pair of scissors?" Looking at her he raised an eyebrow.

"For what?" Her began to lead her towards the kitchen.

"I want to cut my hair. It's too long." Duo reached into one of the kitchen drawers and pulled out a pair of silver scissors. When she went to grab them he gently pushed her onto a stool, pulling the garbage can over next to them. Inwardly he smiled, remembering in the past how she used to cry whenever she fell over her hair. How in the palace he would console her after her mother yelled at her for ruining her newest gowns. 

"How short do you want it?" She kept her gaze focused straight ahead of her, trying her best not to blush. 

"A little bit shorter than your own." With a smirk Duo began to cut.

"Your wish is my command." Diligently he set about cutting her hair while she sat on the stool. 

He noticed the rigidity of her body and couldn't help frowning to himself. She didn't trust him. Heck, why should she? She had lost every memory save a few select ones and here he was expecting her to know him immediately. Although he had to admit it hurt that she remembered Artemis before him. And he was disguised for crying out loud! At least he still resembled his other form. The only thing that Trowa's form and Artermis' original for shared were the eyes. Snapping out of his thoughts he saw that he had begun to braid her hair. With a smile he slowly continued, wanting to make the moment last.

As Duo's hands ran through her hair shivers went up and down her spine. The familiarity of the situation only made her nerves tighten. His touch was something she knew she remembered. A figure appeared in her mind when she closed her eyes, gradually beginning to take form. He was tall and pale, clad in black robes. His smile was genuine; holding such a love that she felt her heart would melt just looking at him. Yet his eyes were hidden. She could just barely remember being held by the figure in a place with silvery white walls. With a sigh she watched him disappear, wanting him back. 

"Shinigami…" Duo's movements stopped as she whispered the name under her breath. His heart raced as she turned to look at him, staring intently. Did she know? Had she figured it out? It was too soon; he wasn't ready to confront her yet. His voice died in his throat when he went to speak.

"Why'd you stop?" She didn't even know she had said it! With a smile he finished up the braid, taking out the ponytail holder in his own braid to tie off hers. She looked at him, obviously feeling guilty for taking his hair thing. He smiled broadly, tugging her braid lightly.

"Don't worry about it. I've got plenty of them in my room." Shyly she smiled in return, wondering what to do now. Looking down she saw about two feet of hair in the garbage pail, glittering silver in the sunlight. A cool hand in hers pulled her back into her mind, a memory flashing before her mind's eye.

~ A cool hand soon took hold of her own and she glanced over to see Shinigami standing ready. Black wings adorned his back and the slight breeze coming from the vast space before them made his bangs dance over his eyes.

"It's time." Taking a step forward he brought her with him. The feeling that pitted in her stomach as they flew forth unnerved her. Something wasn't quite right. A gust of cold wind passed over them and drew them to a stop. Instinctively Cosmos turned to look back as the gates slammed shut, Setsuna's cry of warning dying before it could get past them. Releasing Shinigami's hand she turned to go back but was thrown to the clear platform suspended in space. She heard him cry out and saw him dive for her yet couldn't understand why. Then everything suddenly went black. ~

With a gasp she came back to reality, finding herself staring into Duo's eyes. His eyes, they weren't blue anymore. They were a dark violet. The worry in his eyes startled her. His arms were wrapped around her, keeping her from falling off the stool. Her eyes widened when she put two and two together.

"It's you!"


	5. A Twin

A/N: I think this is unraveling quite nicely…not how I planned but good enough. The other G-Boys will be included, sorry they haven't so far. Voting will be closed with the admission of the next chapter. (And at the moment it's tied!) But whichever pairing is rejected I will make another story for. That is, if you'd like. Let me know, I'm up for ideas. Thanks again to all the faithful reviewers! You guys are the best!

Guilt and shame covered Duo's face as she stood up. She followed him as he left the kitchen. Desperately she gripped his arm, bringing him to a halt. Duo couldn't bear to look into her eyes, to have her know the truth. The regal way she stood only went to show him that the memories were coming back fast. 

"You were the one at the gates! Tell me what happened! Tell me why I can't remember my past!" Duo attempted to walk past her but stopped when he saw the tears in her eyes. "I know I know you! I want to remember you and everyone else. Please, tell me why I can't remember you." The tears pushed him over the edge. He never could stand to see her cry.

"Yes, that was me." He lowered his head. "For centuries I have been the Shinigami. I knew you when you were born, when you died and when you were reborn once more. You never knew me once you were reborn again. Your mother had forbidden it. So I came here, to live and try to forget about you. When Setsuna contacted me I was reluctant to find you. It had been so long, and I knew you wouldn't remember me." He saw the sadness in her eyes. "Please, don't make me tell you everything. I don't want to force you to remember. Things will come back to you in time, please trust me." Usagi turned away from him. 

"Where's Trowa?" Duo felt as if someone had stabbed him through the heart with a knife. She was angry; whether or not it was because of him he didn't know. 

"He's out visiting Luna." Usagi's eyes widened.

"She's here!" He nodded. Usagi spun around on her heal, her braid wrapping around her as she did so. With a groan of frustration she began to walk away.

"Usagi, please…"

"No!" She turned to him briefly, angry tears streaking her face. "Don't talk to me! I don't remember who my mother was but I think I see why she made sure you weren't in my life the second time! Just stay away from me!" 

"Usagi, you can't mean that." He didn't get an answer. She ran from the room before he could stop her. Slowly he sank to his knees, unaware that he had turned into Shinigami. With a choked sob he disappeared, having to find the person responsible for this mess.

Usagi ran through the halls, not caring that she didn't know where she was. She was lost inside so it didn't matter if she was lost on the outside as well. Duo was Shinigami that she was sure of. Vaguely she remembered Setsuna and mentally kicked herself for not remembering her fully. How could she know Artemis and Luna yet barely anyone else? With a sob of anguish she fell to her knees on black marble tiles. The halls had grown dark somewhere along the way. 

"Why can't I remember!" She screamed to no one in particular, pounding her fist into the ground as she did so.

Hiiro stood off to the side, staring as she collapsed on the floor with a sob. When she screamed out he felt the torture in her soul and found himself wishing he could help. He paused at the thought, wondering where that had come from. Usagi punched the floor and he felt the utter shock flood through his body. A silver flash had emitted from her forehead, covering her body and her fist had broken through the marble. She didn't even seem to notice as she stood and began to run again. Stepping out into her path he grunted when her body hit his, knocking them both to the floor. She struggled to get up, ignoring his calm hold on her. 

"Usagi, stop it." Furiously she tried to get away only to find herself wrapped in his arms. The hair around her face had come loose and was now freely falling, framing her face beautifully. Wait a second, what was he thinking! These kinds of thoughts had never permeated his mind before so why start now?

"Calm down Usagi, things will sort themselves out in time." She looked up at him, her eyes flashing silvery blue at him. Her appearance had changed somewhat. Silver tinted every aspect of her being.

"How can you say that? You don't even know me." Hiiro touched the side of her face, not quite sure what he was doing. She pulled away from him, quickly standing. He himself stood as well, frowning inwardly. What was happening to him? Why was he so willing to care for her? Why was he willing to give up everything if he could just hold her in his arms once more? Ever since he had seen her battered and alone he had felt his heart opening up to her. Just something about her drew him in, made him want to change for her. 

"Just leave me alone. All of you just stop." Her hands came to her ears and he stared in curiosity. What was she doing? Little did he know that an ear-piercing whistle was sounding in her ears. With a scream of anguish she fell to her knees again, writhing in pain. 

"Stop it! Go away!" Her eyes were tightly shut. Hiiro didn't know what to do. "Stop it Chaos! Don't do it! Please don't! No!" As she screamed again her eyes snapped open. Hiiro covered his eyes as a blinding silver light filled the room, coming from her eyes. When he was able to see again she lay on the ground, unconscious. Dutifully he walked up to her and picked her up, carrying her back to her room.

~Usagi's Dream~

The room was pitch black, the smell of acid hanging in the air like death. Her wrists and arms hurt, as if they had been tied up recently. A dark figure hung from the ceiling in front of her by its wrists, gently swaying in the damp draft. Groaning she stood and made her way over to it, resting her head on the form's chest. Panting heavily she reached up to touch the figure's face, noticing the blood that covered her fingers wasn't her own anymore. It was too fresh.

"Shinigami, please, stay with me. Don't leave me alone. He took my powers." She watched as he painfully lifted his head to look at her, his violet eyes flashing darkly as he looked at her.

"What did he do to you Usagi?" She shook her head, her blonde hair cascading to the floor. Earlier on Chaos had taken it out of her traditional odangos, saying he preferred it down. Shaking her head she began to fumble with Shinigami's chains.

"It doesn't matter. We need to get out of here. Setsuna needs to know what's going on." With a grunt he fell from the chains, not even bothering to ask how she had gotten him down. 

"It does matter. I need to know how weak you are." Looking up he gasped. She saw the shock spread across his pale, bruised face. "Oh, Usagi!" Lowering her head she looked away, wrapping her arms around herself even though it was painful.

"Please don't stare." She felt his arms come around her soothingly. The burning pain in the gashes calmed as he held her. Sighing she allowed him to hold her, enjoying his warmth.

"Enough! I should have destroyed you both days ago!" Shinigami scowled while turning to block her. It was then she saw how battered he was as well. Before them stood a black shadow with glowing red eyes like two glittering rubies.

"Why have you returned? Haven't you had your share of her pain?" A smuggling cackle ensued from the blackness; pressing against their skin and making their wounds ache with newfound tenderness. Usagi struggled within herself to locate her crystal, sensing its presence deep within her.

"It's time to give up Chaos, I defeated you once and I shall do it once more." Shinigami glanced back to see her disguised as Cosmos once more. "The cauldron may have been rejuvenating for you but this time I shall send you to the pits of hell, where you belong." Raising her staff she aimed for the center of the shadow. "Silver Moon Crystal Eternal Power!" As she shouted the crystal emerged from her chest. 

Chaos laughed at her as she sprouted wings and became the girl he had fought all those years ago. Shinigami turned his head away and blushed profusely at her transformation. (A/N: If any of you have read the Tokyo pop manga you know what I'm talking about. When she beat Chaos in the StarS series, she was nude with nothing but her wings. Go figure…) When her eyes opened they flashed darkly before everything once more went black.

~End Dream Sequence~

With a gasp of shock Usagi sat up in the bed, struggling to breath. She remembered what had happened at the time Gates. Chaos had returned, taking Shinigami and herself prisoner. After wounding him Setsuna had frozen time and removed them from the cauldron. Setsuna had said something about being very sorry, that Chaos wasn't supposed to have gone free so soon. Before she could say anything Setsuna had waved her staff, clearing her mind of the events. But she had gone too far. She had removed everything. Queen Selenity had appeared moments after, saying something along the lines of 'Now all her memories will return, there is nothing to stop her from knowing the truth'. She had then pointed to her and that was all she remembered before ending up in Quatre's mansion. 

Placing a hand on her throat she tried to calm down. Why couldn't she breathe? Fear. She was having a panic attack. Chaos was back, and it was up to her to save the Earth once more. Everything was slowly coming back to her. Granted she still didn't know who Princess Serenity was she could remember everything after the discovery of Galaxia. The deaths of her scouts, the blood shed of the Starlights and Princess Kakyuu, and her solitary guardianship or Earth. A hand settled on her shoulder while holding a paper bag to her face. Gratefully she took it and breathed deeply. Looking over she saw Quatre's concerned face and Trowa's worried eyes.

"Usagi, what happened?" When she had calmed down Quatre sat rubbing her back. Leaning against him she sighed, suddenly very exhausted. 

"I remembered why I was sent here. My destiny will haunt me until the day the universe ends and I am reduced to nothing. I am doomed to guard this planet for eternity." Her eyelids drooped heavily. Trowa came up to her, gently stroking her cheek.

"It's ok Serenity, you may sleep now." With that she dropped off into a deep, dreamless slumber. Quatre laid her down and stood to face Trowa. It was time he straightened this mess out.

"I spoke to Setsuna, Artemis. I know who I am." Nodding his head Trowa sat down, placing his chin on the tips of his fingers.

"I knew she would come to you eventually. You must not tell Serenity yet. Queen Selenity has made it clear that the rest of her past must come on it's own. If it doesn't then she might remember pieces of the lie and of the truth and it will only confuse her more." Quatre nodded.

"Where is the real Trowa?" Artemis smirked.

"We are one in the same. Granted I occupy his body but his mind is the one in control. I only appear when a piece of my past comes up. He's listening to everything going on and he knows everything I know, just as I know everything he knows. It's the same with Catherine and Luna." Sighing Quatre sat down on the end of the bed.

"What of Shinigami? I haven't seen him since I left this morning." It was Artemis' turn to sigh.

"She found out who he was too soon. She doesn't understand why the Queen blocked him and became angry at the fact that he wouldn't tell her what was going on. I believe he's consulting with the Queen now."

"And Hiiro? What will become of him once she remembers everything? Will he remember?" 

"It's up to the Queen. I have no say in what she does."

"Where is Chaos now?" Smirking Artemis stood. Quatre got up to follow him.

"He is everywhere. He'll manipulate anyone he can to get to her. The only ones protected from that are the ones that the Queen has designated. Even I don't know who that is. All I know is we're safe, as are the other pilots." Artemis opened the door to leave but was stopped as Quatre's soft voice filled his ears.

"Tell me Artemis, why did mother separate us?" Turning to the young prince he smiled, seeing the pain in his eyes.

"She knew you would be needed here, when Serenity was to come. This has been planned for millennia Prince Apollo, and it was just decided that it was better this way."

"But if we're twins, then why did mother send her to life such a horrible life? Why couldn't I have taken her place?" 

"Because you were not heir to the throne young Prince. There is still much you have to learn." With a soft smile he turned and left, leaving Quatre to ponder his past alone.


	6. Given Knowledge

A/N: Thanks again to all those who have reviewed. I know I said I was going to shut down the voting once this chapter was posted but I can't. It's tied! After all that it's still tied! lol  So until I get a tiebreaker her heart will belong to both. When the tie is settled she'll go with the one you guys choose. Love you all!

Hiiro paced his room frantically. Was he going insane? Had Usagi really emitted that light? Was he really beginning to feel emotion? With a scowl he plopped onto his bed, facing the ceiling. What was he going to do? Just as he was drifting off into his land of nightmares a silver spark caught his eye. Turning to look he saw a figure that bore a striking resemblance to Usagi, only it's eyes weren't as haunted. Sitting up he grabbed his gun and aimed.

"Put the gun down Hiiro. You haven't changed a bit." When she took a step forward he clicked off the safety switch. "Hiiro, we can do this the hard way or the easy way. Either way I'm going to talk to you." With a grunt he gestured towards his desk chair with the barrel of his gun.

"Sit there." Gracefully she sat, evidence of her royal upbringing in every step she took. Hiiro should know. After all those years guarding Relena Peacecraft he should have been able to tell.

"Very well. Now, I would like to begin with your past."

"I have no past." He kept the gun trained on her, yet was too captivated by her appearance to have used it even if he had to. The woman sighed, her head tilting to the side.

"Yes, you do. I think this would be best if you experienced your past in a dream." Before Hiiro could reject the idea he was fast asleep. "There, now you shall know the truth. It is only fair to you and the others. You shall all know the truth by morning." With that Queen Selenity stood and walked to the window. Dusk was falling, a few of the night stars shining in a blanket of rosy black.

"I see you have decided not to wait." Smiling she continued to stare at the sky.

"Why allow Serenity to know the truth if there is no one to share it with? At least they shall all remember who they once were so when she knows the truth she can talk to them. I still wish Setsuna had not erased her memory of Chaos. If she hadn't, then none of this would be necessary." Artemis stepped forward into the room, closer to his Queen.

"I still don't understand why you took their memories away to begin with. Perhaps you could explain that to me." Queen Selenity turned to Artemis, her lavender eyes landing on the new form of her advisor from the past. Her white hair trailed along the floor as she went and sat back down in the office chair, shimmering the color of her eyes whenever touched by certain light.

"I did it to protect them all. Shinigami could not be in her life, it was forbidden. As much as it hurt me to tear them apart I had to. If they were to go through with their courtship then the Alliance would falter and fail. They were both too powerful. Besides, she was engaged to Prince Hiiro who loved her. I knew he would be able to protect her. Granted I made a mistake when I went them to the future but I did my best to fix it. 

"In the time where you found her she was to be with Endymion, Hiiro's brother. It was the only way I could see to remedy the error. Quatre could not be with her because I didn't have the energy to alter so many mind-sets. Yet I thank you and Luna for not telling the Senshi. I know they had a hint that things were not as they should have been." Queen Selenity dropped her head, tears escaping her crystal-like eyes. "I did my best and now Chaos has returned to destroy it all. I just want my daughter to be happy." 

"Then let her decide. Once the memories have returned, allow her to choose whom she wishes to be with. They have all changed, especially her. Perhaps her mind will change." He smirked. "I don't think Wufei will be too pleased to discover his past. After all, he has a very big disposition about 'weak onnas' and their problems." The Queen smiled as she stood.

"Yes, I must agree. And Apollo took the information better than I expected. This new personality of his is so different from what he was. Yet I can't say I dislike it. He has a bigger heart now than ever before." As she spoke a silver glitter began to fall around her. "I must go now Artemis. Give my love to Luna." With that she was gone. Sighing Artemis turned to look at Hiiro. So many things were left to be explained. Once Usagi woke up he knew he'd have to be there. 

Wufei stormed into Usagi's room, shutting the door behind him silently. There was no way that he could be her guardian. Maybe he was going insane, maybe all of that had been a dream. No, it had been too real. He had remembered too much for it to just be a dream. Taking the seat next to her bed he folded his arms frowning as he thought back to his dream. 

~Wufei's 'Dream'~

He was walking next to a young woman with long silver hair that flew past her feet and trailed behind her. Her gown was white silk with an intricate golden bodice. The royal symbol of the moon shone dimly from under her bangs, which were covering her eyes. He himself was dressed in fine clothing with metal plates. It was some sort of formal outfit yet was suited for battle as well. A black cape hung around his shoulders, billowing behind them as they walked briskly and a sword rested at his side. The scene was incredibly familiar.

"Serenity, what's wrong?" Taking hold of her arm he noticed that it had a silver sheen to it. The tears in her eyes brought a pain to his chest. She stopped before him, her head bowed.

"Mother has arranged my marriage." He smiled softly, tilting her face up to look into the cerulean pools of endless emotions.

"What is so bad about that? I thought you wanted to marry." Another tear ran down her pale cheek.

"But I don't love him Wufei. I just can't." His brows came together in thought.

"I don't understand." Suddenly he remembered seeing her in the palace gardens with a dark figure, holding him close. His eyes went wide. "You don't mean…? Ren, you can't possibly!" She turned away from him, the tears flowing unbidden now.

"But I do. I love him more than life itself Wufei, I wouldn't be able to bear it if I lost him." Wrapping his arms around her he consoled her.

"Who knows besides me?"

"Apollo and Rae." He nodded his head.

"I'm sure my sister wasn't too pleased to hear that." Serenity shook her head.

"She ruined one of my best dresses with her flame sniper. She wanted to go and tell Hotaru but I managed to hold her back."

"Hotaru would kill her brother if he interfered with the moon's plans. Ren, you have to tell him what's going on. He's a loyal guardian and friend to all of us but he can't be with you. Do you know what would happen if the two of you were to bear a child? It would be the strongest being in the universe aside from you two. Imagine having the power to give and take life, to create and destroy galaxies, to use those powers whenever you felt like it." He saw his words were only hurting her more and pulled her into a tight embrace as she began to sob.

"I'm sorry I let you all down. I really am. Please don't hate me, please." Kissing the top of her head he smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"I could never hate you Ren, you know that. And you didn't let anyone down. Come, let's go find that sister of mine and get some ice cream. I'm going to make her apologize for burning one of your best gowns." When she sniffled and smiled he playfully punched her cheek, smiling. "That's the Ren I know." 

~End Dream Sequence~

Wufei frowned as he thought about it. How could he be like that towards a girl? What puzzled him is that he had more memories about her and other people, as if it were a whole different life. That's when it hit him, and hard. It was a different life. He remembered now. About a week after that incident Beryl had attacked the moon, using the Princess' engagement party to surprise them. Shinigami had died protecting her and in grief she had killed herself as well. He, Apollo and Hiiro had fought until the very end. Even Endymion had aided them by gathering Earth's forces to battle. But it had been too late. In the end Queen Selenity had sent them their separate ways.

Usagi moaned, turning over onto her side. Looking over at her Wufei felt something in him snap. He couldn't hate her as he did other women. Something about her was different; their past had proven it. When she had stood up to him earlier in the kitchen he had been outraged. No woman had ever dared to defy him. Granted he would never dare back mouth to Noin, Sally Po or Catherine. They were the only women he respected because of what they did. That and the fact that they shared a similar past as the rest of the pilots. Relena had been the first woman in that circle that he hated. Whenever he so much as looked at her she would run and hide behind Hiiro. 

Hiiro. How would he handle the past? The perfect soldier would be shocked to find that he had loved a woman so much that he was willing to let her go. Sighing he buried his head in his hands, stands of his hair framing his face. Once more Usagi stirred, mumbling this time. Looking over at her he saw what he had all those centuries ago. The fighting spirit of a true warrior and a woman ready to take on the galaxy. Smiling to himself he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, brushing stray strands of hair out of her face. 

"Rae must be so proud of you Ren."


	7. Painful Memories

A/N: After much debate and careful thinking I have finally decided upon a pair. (And I owe it to Sweet Sere because of the review she wrote. Thanks!) It's going to be a Duo/Usagi pairing. I'm really sorry to all of you who wanted it to be Hiiro but after thinking it over it just wouldn't work. I promise I'll write another story after this one just for you guys! Oh, and please forgive me for making Duo and Hiiro so…pathetic in this chapter. I need to show how different their past and present forms are and this is one of the ways to do it. Onegai… ^_^'

Groggily Hiiro sat up, unable to believe what had passed through his mind. No matter how many times he tried to rationalize it as a dream he couldn't. Queen Selenity had come into his room herself and made him remember. Now he knew why he recognized Usagi. A drop of water landed on his hand and his eyes widened. Tentatively he reached up and touched his cheek, feeling the tears that were falling. He was crying over a lost past. He was crying because he had loved her more than anything in the universe and she had never loved him in return. Apollo had been the one to tell him the night of the engagement, only moments before Beryl had attacked. His heart ached as he remembered Shinigami's death, his cousin. And it ached even more when he thought of Usagi killing herself to be with him.

Sobbing he tried to breathe. This wasn't him. He never cried or allowed his emotion to show. So why did he care so much? No, why did his past self care so much? Just as he had begun to get used to living alone she had to come back. Why was she back to begin with? Hadn't she hurt him enough? Or was she here for Shinigami once more? His head swam with the thoughts. A soft knock on the door drew him back to reality. Stifling his sobs he wiped his eyes and went to open his bedroom door. Duo stood there, his eyes red and puffy, obvious signs that he had been crying. 

"We need to talk." Walking into Hiiro's room he took a seat on the edge of his bed. Hiiro came over and sat in his office chair, fighting the urge to cry and yell at Duo for taking away his only love. Duo looked over at Hiiro, his eyes pleading for him to start them off. 

"I know everything Shinigami." Duo wasn't surprised. After talking to Selenity it had been decided that all the memories of the past were to be released and it was up to Usagi to make the final decision. After all, that was the reason she had come here in the first place. Duo's head dropped as a black wave of energy swept over him, starting at his toes and ending at his head. It almost looked like a flame. He was left as Shinigami, his scythe lying at his feet.

"I don't know what to do anymore. I've waited so long to be with her but I never thought it would come down to the two of us. I admit it Hiiro, I'm willing to give up everything to have her. I've lived too long without her and I don't think I can do it anymore."

"How long have you known the truth?" When Shinigami looked up at him he felt a chill run down his spine. His eyes were such a deep violet they looked almost black. The knowledge they held was unbelievable.

"Millennia Hiiro, millennia. Unlike you my memories remained. Because of who I am I never die and never cease to forget. It's the curse of my life. Usagi is much the same, only her mind was altered because she didn't possess her powers at the time." Hiiro looked down, allowing emotion to touch his voice for the first time since he was a child. It scared him.

"Why Shinigami? Why did you love her when you knew what was to become of us?" Pain flashed through both their eyes.

"That's just it, I never knew. I didn't know until Wufei told me. Apparently she thought it best I didn't know." He looked away. "We were planning to elope before she found out. I began to suspect something was wrong when she told me to go back to Saturn. I'm sorry Hiiro, I never knew." Hiiro's heart ached as he heard Shinigami speak. He couldn't handle all of this. He was made for fighting, not feeling.  Standing he went to the balcony doors of his room.

"I want to be alone."

"I'm so sorry Hiiro. Please try to understa…"

"Get out!" Dejectedly Shinigami stood, transforming once more into the carefree Duo that the pilots had all come to know and love. 

He left as the tears began to flow down Hiiro's cheeks once more. Shutting the door behind him he quickly left to go and be alone in one of the gardens that Quatre's mansion held. Their past was tearing them apart bit by bit. With so many unanswered questions it was impossible to live on without hating one another. Breaking into a run he collapsed under the shelter of a weeping willow, allowing the tears he had hidden for so long to finally escape. His life was impossible. He was doomed to either live alone and watch the one he loved go with another or have her by his side for eternity. Destiny sure had a cruel sense of humor.

Usagi sat up in her bed, feeling a desperate aching in her heart. The light of dawn crept through the drapes partially covering the doors to her balcony. Getting up she stretched, ignoring her present predicament for the time being. For now she was just Usagi Tsukino, an average girl with hopes and dreams of someday becoming a successful person in the world. She was not Sailor Moon or Sialor Cosmos. The weight of the world was not upon her shoulders. She was in a time and place where she could finally be free.

Releasing a sigh she stood and walked over to open the curtains of the balcony. Sunlight poured into the room, bathing her with it. Closing her eyes she smiled and giggled. Living here would be fun. Twirling around she noticed she was still wearing the jeans and shirt from the other day. It was then she realized how unfair she had been to Duo. It wasn't his fault she had lost her memory. If anything he had tried to help her. And poor Hiiro. What did he think of her now? He must have thought she was insane. Sitting down in front of the dresser with the mirror she began to unbraid her hair. There was a knock on her door and she paused to look.

"Come in." Slowly it opened to reveal a very disheveled Hiiro. "Just the man I wanted to see. Come and sit." She pointed to the spare chair next to the dresser. Quietly he walked over and sat. Turning to him she smiled.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I was very rude to you. There's no excuse for how I yelled at you." His hard features cracked slightly into a smile. 

"Don't worry about it. Wufei always warned me to watch out for emotional onnas." Her eyes widened.

"Is Mr. Perfect soldier cracking a joke?" He smiled softly, something she knew he wasn't accustomed to. Smiling in return she began to brush out her hair. Hiiro cleared his throat.

"Uh—may I?" For a moment she was confused as to what he was talking about. Then she grinned and handed him her hairbrush as he scooted closer. 

"Sure, why not?" Hiiro was gentle as he brushed out the tangles in her hair. Looking at him in the mirror she suddenly saw a man like him dressed in armor similar to what Endymion used to wear. The smile on his face was unbelievably handsome and his eyes danced with mirth meant only for her eyes to see. And then, just as suddenly as the image had come it was gone. 

"Did you sleep well?" She nodded her head as he began to separate her hair into two sections.

"Beautifully. And guess what? I remember some of my past! Isn't that great?" She smiled joyously and looked up into the mirror to see his face. Her laughter stopped when she saw what he was doing with her hair. Paling she placed a hand on his and turned to face him, their faces only inches apart.

"What is it?" Hiiro watched the pain flashing in her eyes. 

"Please don't… anything but that style." The desperation in her voice hit him. There was something about her past that he didn't know, something that made her not want to remember. Smiling softly he took out the ponytail holder from what was to be the base of the odango. 

"Alright." She returned his smile, kissing him on the cheek.

"Thank you Hiiro." A slight blush tainted Hiiro's cheeks as he glanced to the floor then back at her face. 

Moving quickly he kissed her gently. It was chaste and when he pulled away she too was flushed. Turning around to hide her embarrassment Hiiro began to braid her hair. Had he moved too fast? The sugary sweet taste of vanilla lingered on his lips and the scent of roses filled his senses. Even after all those years she still remained the same. When he was done he stood and offered her a hand to stand up. Almost as if in silent agreement they smiled. 

"I have to get dressed now. I'll be right down." Nodding his head he turned and left, heading down the stairs for breakfast. Automatically his stoic mask fell into place. He couldn't let the others know what was happening inside of him. Maybe there was a reason he had gone through such harsh training as a child. It was as if fate were preparing him for this day all along.

Wufei watched Hiiro leave, noticing the rigidity appear in his stance once more as he went to the stairs. So he knew as well. Well, he wasn't going to say anything until Usagi had regained her memories completely. The last thing he needed was that braided-baka getting on his case about being kind to a 'weak onna'. When her door opened he stood straight, awaiting her presence. What he saw stunned him.

Usagi was dressed in a pale blue sundress with spaghetti straps, her hair in a neat braid. On her feet she wore white flip-flops, courtesy of Quatre. Upon seeing Wufei she stopped in her tracks and stared at him. Turning on her heel she began to walk away, not wanting a confrontation. A firm grip on her upper arm pulled her to a halt. Avoiding his gaze she stood, waiting what he had to say.

"I'm sorry Usagi-san. I had no right to instigate that argument." Her eyes flew up to his, seeing that his words were genuine. Smiling she hugged him, startling him.

"It's okay. I forgive you." Glancing around he hugged her back and then quickly released her. She saw the blush on his face as he looked around for anyone who might have seen that.

"Yeah, well, don't get too cozy onna." She laughed as she saw how hard he was trying to brush off the event. 

"Don't worry Wu-man, I won't tell that you allowed an 'onna' such as myself to hug you." Smirking he gave her a slight nuggy (A/N: you know, when you rub the top of somebody's head with your fist…) before leading them downstairs.

"Quatre has breakfast ready and Trowa has a guest he would like you to meet." Skipping down the hall she waited for him at the stairway. 

Then, with a laugh that would make the sun come out she hopped on the banister and slid all the way down. Smirking Wufei got on the other side and slid down as well, releasing a whoop of joy. At the bottom he nearly crashed into Trowa who stood with his arms crossed and a smug look upon his usually neutral features. Brushing off the front of his training gi Wufei stood straight, cleared his throat and nodded to Trowa in greeting. As he walked towards the kitchen he smiled at Usagi who grinned in return.

"I see you've gotten him to loosen up somewhat." Turning to Trowa Usagi smiled.

"I suppose. Why are you in his body and not your own form Arty?" With a gentle sigh Trowa shut his eyes and a shimmer passed over his body. When it was gone, Trowa stood beside a man with white hair that reached his knees and startling blue-green eyes. A crescent moon symbol was upon his forehead and he wore a white outfit with the symbol of the moon sewn to the chest. He smiled lovingly at Usagi before bowing slightly. His long hair fell over his shoulder, his bangs falling into his eyes. 

"Is this better?" Usagi giggled.

"Much." Turning to Trowa she held out her hand. " A pleasure to meet the real Trowa." Trowa smirked.

"As well as you." Taking her hand Trowa brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. Furiously she blushed, holding her hand when he released it. Looking up at Artemis she saw a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.

"What is it Arty? I know that look all too well." Taking her hand in his Artemis led her down a corridor she had yet to explore. They walked for quite a while, Trowa following close behind. 

"Do you recognize any of the young men in this house Usagi?" Furrowing her brow she looked at Artemis.

"What are you talking about?"

"What I mean is, two of the men here aided you in your quest as a Senshi. One of them is wlking behind you." He chuckled as her eyes widened. "Trowa is actually Makoto's older brother. When the Queen sent you all to the future, she thought is best to send the young men to another dimension. After all, it would look quite odd to have men guarding the guardians, now wouldn't it?" Usagi nodded, her mouth hanging open slightly.

"So then…" She turned to Trowa, tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry Trowa." He smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and steering her in the direction Artemis had gone.

"It's alright Usagi, you did your best. I know all that happened. Uncle Arty informed me ."

"He's your Uncle?" The shock she emitted made Trowa chuckle as well.

"Yes. Luna was my mother's sister. So naturally that would make him my Uncle." Huffing Usagi crossed her arms across her chest, pouting slightly.

"There's so much I have yet to remember. I still don't even understand what the Senshi and I had to protect all those years." Leading her into a room Trowa smiled.

"You will soon enough."

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard that enough times." When she entered the room she stopped when she saw a young woman standing before her. 

She had short, dirty blonde hair that delicately curled around her face. She smiled upon seeing Usagi, a shimmer coming over her as well. When it had passed a young woman with flowing violet, almost black hair stood next to her. On either side of her head were double odangos only they allowed her hair to flow freely. A crescent moon was upon her forehead as well and she wore a yellow gown with a black lace petticoat. On the straps were black flowers made of silk. Usagi's breath caught in her throat.

"Luna?" Her voice cracked as she spoke. Luna nodded her head, holding out her arms in a fashion that reminded her of Setsuna.

"It's been a while Usagi."


	8. My Only Love Revealed at last

A/N: It's about time I started to get to the plot! Sorry for those of you who are aggravated that I haven't really gotten to the fighting stuff yet. And go figure, you all put it in e-mails so that it couldn't be seen. **dodges rotten fruit** Sheesh! Calm down it was a joke! ^_^' Anyway, on with the plot. Once more, I'm very sorry to disappoint all you Hiiro fans.

The two women embraced one another. Tears streamed down Usagi's cheeks as Luna gently rubbed her back. Luna held back the tears, looking over Usagi's head to the three people in the room. Catherine smiled, leaning her head on Artemis' arm. All her mother had been able to talk about in the two years they had been together was how much she missed Usagi. It was good to see them together once more. Trowa crossed his arms over his chest, smiling as well. Makoto would have been right in there crying if she had been around. At first he had blamed Usagi for his sister's death. But after a year he had come to understand that she hadn't had a choice. 

"I missed you so much. I thought you were dead. How did you survive?" Luna led her to a couch, handing her a tissue.

"Queen Selenity gave us another chance. She told us that in a few years you would be arriving and that we were to help you." Usagi's eyes shut for a moment as she thought.

"I understand now." She looked over at Artemis. "I'm princess Serenity. I'm the one the Senshi were fighting to protect. I was the heir to the throne. Mother sent me here to give me a chance at leading a normal life. But what of Endymion?" Luna shook her head.

"He was not meant to be with you in that time Serenity. Your mother made a mistake. True, you were to rule Neo Crystal Tokyo and have a daughter. But it wasn't to be with Endymion and it wasn't supposed to be Chibi Usa."

"Then who was it supposed to be?" Gently she smiled, shaking her head while brushing a piece of Usagi's hair behind her ear.

"I don't know. I'm guessing that's why your mother sent you here, to find out."

"So, you mean to tell me that there's more to my past than mother told me?" Artemis took a seat next to Usagi as well.

"There's much more. You see, she didn't want you to wander the galaxy so she altered your memories to the circumstances. When Setsuna tried to erase your meeting with Chaos she didn't know the extent of her mind altercations. Now little by little you're going to remember the people and events of the past the way they were meant to be." 

"Alright. Tell me this, what connection does Wufei have to my past?" Trowa grinned.

"He's your guardian as well as myself and Duo." 

"But how? I understand you were because you were Makoto's brother and Shinigami was because he was Hotaru's brother as well."

"Wufei is actually Rae's brother and your cousin." Usagi's jaw dropped.

"What!" Catherine, Trowa and Artemis chuckled. "There is no way!"

"It's true Serenity-hime. There is still much to be known yet your mother made it clear that we weren't to tell you. So now that we're late to breakfast I suggest we get going." The small group headed towards the door.

"But what about, you know, your appearance? Won't they ask questions?"

"No, I've already introduced Luna and Catherine. Everything is fine." Artemis led the way down the hall. Pouting Usagi followed.

"I'm always the last to know." Catherine laughed and placed an arm around her shoulders.

"You'll never change Hime." Looking up at Catherine her eyes widened.

"Diana?" A childish giggle escaped her.

"Shh. Mother and father gave me this body so that I would fit in. Isn't it great?" Nodding numbly Usagi continued to the kitchen. The smell of bacon and pancakes filled her senses and her stomach growled ferociously.

"Meet you guys there!" With that she took off, leaving a trail of dust behind her. Luna laughed light heartedly.

"She never will change, no matter how many centuries she lives through." Artemis and Trowa nodded in agreement. Upon reaching the kitchen they saw a very comical sight. 

Usagi was sitting on top of a very disgruntled Duo while munching on bacon. He had his head propped in his left hand while his fingers drummed rhythmically on the marble tiles of the kitchen floor. Quatre sighed while cooking up some more bacon. Wufei sat at the table with a section of the newspaper, smirking behind the print. Hiiro just stared at the scene without expression, as always. Walking over to the table everyone took a seat, eagerly awaiting their breakfast. Every once in a while Duo would make a move to snatch a piece of bacon Usagi would bounce on him, making him huff as the air was forced out of his lungs. Then he'd resort to tapping once more. When she was down to the last piece she leaned over in front of him, placing it on his lips. Trowa and Wufei watched her, the other were too busy with the paper or conversing amongst themselves to notice.

"Open up Duo-chan." Glancing up at her Duo took the bacon as she fed it to him. When he was done he captured her fingers in his mouth, earning an innocent giggle from her.

"You don't taste so bad babe." Patting the top of his head she stood up and placed the plate in the sink. Duo stood up, grinning from ear to ear. "Hey, Usa-chan?" She turned around to smile at him.

"Yes Duo-ch…" She was cut off as a wave of syrup covered her head. 

Duo snickered, trying not to laugh but failed completely. Wufei burst out laughing, nearly falling out of his chair. Hiiro raised an eyebrow while Trowa smirked. Luna, Artemis and Catherine burst into laugher. The only one who didn't find it funny was Quatre.  He came up to Duo with the metal spatula and smacked Duo in the back of the head and the middle of his back. Duo, Trowa, Luna and Catherine gasped as Quatre scowled at Duo. Wufei burst into laughter as Duo cringed. When Quatre got mad it was for a reason and his temper was fearful. 

"Do that again and I'll have your head Duo." Usagi hugged Quatre, kissing his cheek.

"See, Apollo-chan always protects me!" Her head cocked to the side when she finished her statement and all laughter stopped. Artemis and Luna stared at her while Quatre slowly paled.

"What did you call me?" She looked at Quatre, innocent confusion in her eyes. Quietly she repeated the name, her eyebrows furrowing.

"I remember you now. You're my…" Her eyes widened in surprise and joy. "Oh my gosh! Apollo! I can't believe this!" She hugged him tighter, knocking him to the floor. The group chuckled slightly, watching as Quatre turned purple then a slight shade of blue.

"Uhn…Usa-gi…can't…uhn…breathe…!" Usagi released him, watching as he took a deep breath and began to retain his normally pale complexion.

"I'm sorry Q-chan." Rubbing his neck Quatre smiled politely and stood up.

"It's ok Usa-chan. I forgot how enthusiastic you could be." Smiling he held up a platter of pancakes while Usagi grabbed the bacon and the eggs. "Breakfast is served." Mumbling of approval spread across the room as everyone dug into their food. Usagi shoveled in the food as if she hadn't eaten in years. Her speed rivaled that of even Duo. When she was done she placed her dishes in the sink and kissed Quatre on the cheek.

"Thanks for breakfast Q-chan." Going up to Luna and Artemis she gave them both a kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to explore. This place is huge." And with that she was off. Duo stood quickly, dumping his dishes in the sink before running after her.

"I think Duo's got a crush." Catherine giggled, stuffing her face with eggs. No one noticed the scowl that crossed Hiiro's features. Wufei smiled inwardly, holding up his paper while biting into a strip of bacon. Quatre smiled and looked at Luna and Artemis who returned his gaze.

Duo ran through the halls, wondering how she could have disappeared so fast. It wasn't until he heard the soft squeak of her flip-flops that he knew she was near. Deciding to sneak up on her he hid in the shadows that the morning sun was casting in the hall. He caught sight of her staring at the stained glass cathedral windows that Quatre had installed a few years ago. When he was directly behind her and ready to cover her eyes she startled him by turning around, causing him to fall back. She burst into giggles as he rubbed his side.

"Man, you'll always be the smarted one when it comes to battle tactics Usa-chan." When he stood up she wrapped her arms around him, startling him.

"You never could sneak up on me Shin." Tentatively he placed his arms around her in return. "I'm sorry for getting mad yesterday. I was frustrated about not knowing my past. Now that it's coming back little by little I'm getting happier. And it's because I'm remembering the things I never could before."

"Like what?" She smiled, burying her face in his chest.

"Our first kiss." His eyes widened slightly.

~Flashback~

Princess Serenity slipped around the corner and into the shadows. After much time and effort she had managed to escape the ball and Prince Endymion. That guy never knew when to give up. Sighing she began to slink down the darkened corridors of the Moon Palace. She knew the hidden corridors to her home like the back of her hand. Stumbling over the edge of her gown she frowned, bringing up the edge to see she had torn the hem.

"Mother is going to kill me." Leaning against the wall she allowed the light of the Earth to bathe her.

"I'll say. You are one of the biggest klutzes around." Turning sharply to her left she saw a dark figure leaning against the wall, his scythe propped up next to him.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out dancing with Princess Minako or Ami?" He smirked coming forward into the light. Serenity took a step back as he neared her, almost afraid of him. How come she suddenly found herself thinking that he was one of the most handsome men she had ever met? Gulping she stared into his violet eyes.

"No, I'm right where I'm supposed to be." Holding out his hand he waited for her to respond. "I won't bite Serenity." His smile is what convinced her to take his hand. The faint sounds of the orchestra drifted through the open windows, giving them a rhythm to dance to. Serenity found her heart beating irregularly fast as he gradually pulled her closer. 

"Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?" Shinigami stopped moving, gazing down at her face. She was stunning.

"I think I'm falling in love with you." Serenity began to close her eyes as he moved closer to her. When his lips touched hers she felt like melting. Either that or her heart would pop out of her chest. Gently he held her, allowing himself to deepen the kiss. To his surprise she didn't hold back. Sighing into the kiss he pulled her against him, noticing that their bodies fit together perfectly. When they broke apart for air she placed her head on his shoulder, holding him.

"This is forbidden. You are the Senshi of Death and I of Life. It would never work." Gently he turned her face to his and she saw the passion in them.

"I'm willing to make it work." With that they entered another soul searing kiss, the sounds of the orchestra drifting past their deaf ears.

~End Flashback~

Usagi stared at Duo as he stroked her cheek. Suddenly he leaned forward and duplicated the heart-wrenching kiss that he had given her on the moon. Without hesitation she kissed him back, allowing her arms to snake around his neck. When she was able to look into his eyes once more she saw the same passion that had been there all those years ago.

"I was so afraid that you wouldn't remember." Usagi pulled herself closer to him, brushing her lips over his,

"How could I forget about my only love?" She sealed her words with another kiss, failing to notice the tears that were coursing down his cheeks. She would never truly know how much those words affected him. He loved so much he was willing to relinquish his duties for her. Yet neither of them noticed the shadow creature make its way down the hall.


	9. Danger

A/N: It's been a while…Sorry. I have a lot of things to do, especially with school coming up. Hopefully once school starts I'll still update every other week or so, maybe even more than that. Hope you guys like the next couple of chapters, I did them all in one shot. Enjoy!

Hiiro paced the floor in front of Wufei's room impatiently. It was obvious that they were all connected to Usagi in some way so Wufei had to know his true past. Growling to himself he knocked on the door twice, waiting for a reply. When he didn't get one he knocked again impatiently. The door opened to a very disgruntled Chinese man with evidence of sleep still in his droopy eyes. Pushing past him into the room he stood with his arms crossed, his traditional scowl upon his face. Wufei shut the door, a low growl sounding in the room.

"What the hell do you want Yui? I was in the middle of my nap. That braided-baka kept me up again with stupid questions." Hiiro began to pace the length of the floor in front of the bed. Wufei crossed his arms and watched his comrade. 

"I don't understand it. Artemis, Luna, Quatre, Trowa, Catherine… All of them have a connection to her. It's painfully obvious that I do as well. And I'm sure that means you and Duo know her in some way as well. I need answers Chang, now." His painful gaze rested on Wufei and he found he couldn't deny his friend what he was asking. 

"Take a seat Hiiro." Hiiro documented that statement in the back of his mind for later analysis. Wufei never called any of them by their first names. Sighing, Wufei stood before his friend who sat on the edge of his bed. 

"I want to know your connection to her." Wufei shut his eyes and leaned back against the wall.

"As you know we are all from the silver millennium. Serenity had her five guardians, the Inner Sailor Senshi. Sailor Mars, also known as Princess Rae, was my sister and because of it I was also Serenity's guard. You, Quatre, Trowa, Duo and I were all part of her main guard. If the Senshi failed we were to complete their tasks. We also protected Prince Apollo. Through our task Serenity and I became very close, best friends if you will. 

"I found out about her engagement to you as well as her love for Shinigami on the same night. You had no idea she loved him, you were too blind to see it. You loved her so much…" For a moment he paused, smirking to himself at the irony of it all. "But it wouldn't have mattered. The night you found out about their love was the same night they died at Beryl's hands. You walked in on them kissing in the study and came and told me. I couldn't tell you then that I had known all along, you were my best friend but you were even closer to Duo. I couldn't do that to either of you. The rest you know." Hiiro looked at him, his heart sinking.

"Answer me this then, does she still love him?" Wufei's gaze was downcast. "Tell me so I know whether or now I can make a fool of myself Chang!" 

"Fine, she's still in love with him! A love like that is rare and can withstand the test of time! Haven't you gotten it yet Hiiro? She never loved you like that and she never will. You were her friend, her guard and her partner in crime. You were like a brother to her Hiiro, how could she love you like that? You're not the only one who suffered you know!" Wufei shut his mouth and frowned, breathing deeply as Hiiro stood up. His anger had made his face slightly red and it was taking more time than normal to calm himself down. This was the touchiest subject of his entire life, more so than his wife. 

"What did you mean by that last statement?" 

"We were all in love with her you fool. It's just that we moved past the fact that we couldn't have her. Why do you think I was so close to her?" Hiiro frowned.

"I still don't understand how she and Duo came to be." 

"Neither do I. If you remember correctly all they ever did was fight. We all thought it was for the best; we thought that we wouldn't have to worry about if they fell in love. The consequences of that bond would be detrimental to both families." Wufei rubbed his temples. "To be honest, I think Quatre knows more about this than I do. I never understood all the reasons they couldn't be together, there were too many to count." Suddenly his spine stiffened and he felt every muscle within him tighten. Hiiro must have felt it as well because they looked at one another at the same moment.

"Do you feel that?" Wufei nodded his head.

"Something's not right." Regaining his composure he grabbed his katana. "Let's go find Usagi."

Duo pulled away from Usagi and smiled. She was still covered in the maple syrup from breakfast. When she moved closer to him he held her close, breathing in the delicate scent of her shampoo. He felt her fingers playing with the fabric of his shirt and sighed. He had waited for this to happen for years. 

"I love you Usagi." His words sent a shiver down her spine.

"I love you too Duo-kun." She looked up at him, her dark eyes shining beautifully. Just then the muscles in her body contracted and her eyes turned almost black in color. As quickly as she had tensed she went slack and began to fall out of his arms.

"Usagi!" He caught her as she fell and sat on the ground with her in his arms. "Usagi, what is it? What's wrong?" He became frantic. Dark chills were running up and down his spine and he didn't like it, not one bit. The vibrations he was getting were too similar to the ones he had felt at the Time Gates. Looking back down at Usagi he saw that her eyes were still blank although she was now in her Sailor Cosmos form. 

"He's back." Her breathing was labored as she slowly stood, her eyes taking on a silver sheen. He hated her like this. It was as if she had no soul. Just before she had attacked Chaos at the gates she had become like this. Heartless, ruthless and savage. 


	10. Nothing Left

Standing with her he felt himself transform without even having to summon his abilities. Fear gripped his heart as he realized what was happening. He was here, and he was going to claim what should have been his. Why had he agreed to such a foolish bargain? Cosmos gripped her long staff, her eyes still dark, holding a hatred he wished would never be directed towards himself. It was then that he heard the running footsteps from behind them. Everyone stood behind them, including Artemis and Luna. Their faces were set like stone with an expression of fear and hatred. 

As he watched he noticed a shimmer pass over the group. Before he could even blink Quatre, Wufei, Hiiro and Trowa stood in armored suits similar to what Prince Endymion used to wear on earth. Each cape had the respective colors of their planets. They had finally awoken. Luna, Artemis and Catherine stood in their moon attire, Diana taking her true form from Catherine's body. A cold shiver ran down his spine and he gripped his scythe tighter before turning to stare in front of him. It was time. 

Cosmos growled low in her throat, startling the group around her. They weren't used to seeing the delicate, loving Princess angry. She pointed her scythe towards the dark shadows in the spacious hallway and fired a single silver beam blast. There was a surge of darkness before a malicious laughter filled their ears. Panic filled Shinigami's heart as he listened. The group around them shuddered as they remembered the laughter. It was the same sound they had heard on the moon kingdom before they had been destroyed. Cosmos stood even taller than before if that was possible, her regal posture making her appearance seem ominous.

"Show yourself Chaos." Shinigami noticed she used the same tone she had used on Earth with him. Only this time she was filled with more hatred for her enemy. 

The shadows seemed to seep from the walls, gathering into one single ball that gradually began to take on a form. It stood tall, its red eyes gleaming in the light that streamed in from the windows. Quatre, Hiiro and Wufei glanced out the window to see that there was no longer a sun. Instead there was a black ball surrounded by a red ring. The appearance of Chaos had caused a solar eclipse. Their gazes turned back to the shadow figure as it took on the form of a man. It bowed mockingly at Cosmos, a sinister grin forming on its wispy face. 

"A pleasure to be in your presence your Highness." The sarcastic laughter in its voice didn't go unnoticed by anyone. Cosmos gripped her staff tighter, her knuckles becoming even paler than her skin if that was possible. Her eyes were still dark and full of hatred.

"I said show yourself." Shinigami shivered at her tone. He knew what was to come. With a sudden outburst of energy the figure pushed the shadows away to reveal its true form. What stood before them earned a gasp from everyone, except Cosmos. Endymion chuckled, his voice overpowering that of Chaos'. 

"I see you've finally figured it out Serenity. It's about time." Cosmos glanced down, trying to force back the tears. She had known, she had just never believed. How could she have been so blind?

"Your time has come Chaos." She looked back up at him, her tears disappearing.

"Tsk-tsk Serenity. You should know me better than that. I still have one more card up my sleeve. How do you think I was able to find you in the first place?" Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"What are you talking about?" Endymion grinned in a manipulative manner.

"I'm talking about my little slave who brought me to you. Isn't that right Shinigami?" His gaze turned to Shinigami, laughing at him. Shinigami lowered his head as all eyes turned on him. He didn't want to see the pain upon Cosmos' face. Her eyes widened as she looked at him.

"You're lying." She spoke to Chaos although her attention was on Shinigami. 

"I found this young man a few years ago, wandering space as he searched for his lost love. I promised him he could find his love if he helped me find the one who had locked me away. He didn't remember me until it was too late, until he had sold me his soul.  Even then he had no idea what I planned to do to you. It wasn't until I captured you both at the time gates that he realized his mistake. That I wanted you so I could kill you. Being the fool that he is he still followed me, for the chance to be close to you. He knew that if he refused me I would kill you." Endymion chuckled evilly.

"You lied to me?" Shinigami heard the pain in her voice. He looked up to see anger and sorrow in the depths of her dark eyes.

"I couldn't tell you the truth. I wanted to be close to you again so badly Serenity, you must understand that." She scowled.

"You were willing to risk my life just so you could be happy? What about me Shinigami? What about me and my love for you? You delivered me into the hands of my enemy!" A single tear slipped down her face. Shinigami's eyes darkened.

"I couldn't back out of it Serenity, it was too late. He gave me back my powers so I could find you and be with you. When I found out the truth t was too late! He said he'd kill you before I found you and I couldn't bear it. I wanted to find you, to see if our love was still there. He promised he wouldn't touch you as long as I didn't tell you I was working for him. He wanted to use you for experiments and the only way to keep him from you was to hide what was going on." Cosmos scowled.

"I don't care. You lied to me Shinigami. For that I cannot forgive you." She turned back to Chaos, seeing the satisfied smirk on his face. "What do you want from me Chaos?"

"Your power. The power to create, destroy, everything. I want it all. I always have. You were just too naive to see it." Cosmos stretched out her hands, dropping her staff. Quatre gasped and went to run forward but was stopped as Wufei gripped his arms.

"No Apollo! This is her fight!" Quatre struggled, his former personality returning. Anger surfaced within him.

"I can't stand here and watch her die Wufei! She's my sister!" Artemis stepped forward, placing a hand on Apollo's shoulder, a sad expression upon his face.

"We must sit this one out Sire, it isn't our fight." He looked up behind them all to see Setsuna standing off to the side, her staff raised. "We couldn't help even if we wanted to." The group turned to see Setsuna and saw what he meant. The Guardian of Time had put up a silence wall of protection around them, keeping them from harm's way as well as keeping them from interfering. Apollo groaned and sank to his knees, tears coming to his eyes.

"Then take it." The sadness in her voice gripped all their hearts. Shinigami watched as Chaos grinned, forming a dark ball of energy in his hands. His eyes flashed red as he prepared to release it at her.

"My pleasure." 


	11. Transformation

A/N: Short but sweet. Sorry if it's confusing. E-mail me if you have any questions!

As he fired Shinigami ran to Cosmos. He wasn't going to allow this to happen. It was his fault she was in danger in the first place. He had tried to hide her by taking her to his time, by introducing her to her past. But he had been too late; Chaos had known his every move. Spreading himself before Cosmos he barely had time to acknowledge the pain as the blast hit him square in the back. 

Cosmos emitted a startled cry as Shinigami groaned in pain. Dark energy sizzled around him as he fell to his knees, gasping for breath as blood poured down his back. Cosmos' eyes watered as she realized her mistake. He had loved her all along; he truly hadn't known Chaos' true intent when he had agreed to help him. Sinking to her knees as well she held Shinigami's wounded form against herself. Tears streamed down her shocked face as she looked at him. His eyes were glossy as he stared at her.

"All I ever did was love you, and it was because of me that you were always hurt. I'm sorry Serenity." A tear ran down his cheek and she quickly kissed it away.

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. Oh, Duo… I love you so much. You can't leave me again. I'm sorry I didn't believe you. Please, don't leave me." Dark shadows lifted from his body, leaving him in armor similar to the ones that Hiiro and the others were wearing. The silver cross hung from his neck, glittering brightly. Cosmos sobbed as she transformed into her Princess state, holding Duo's body close to hers.

"I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise Serenity. Please forgive me." Serenity laid his down in her lap, stroking his bangs. Chaos looked on in triumphant glory. 

"There's nothing to forgive Duo. It's my fault for not believing in you." As she sat there, holding him, her heart crystal began to emerge from her chest as it had when she had rescued Hotaru so many years ago. Duo looked up her, clenching his fist a light began to emit from it. 

"Take this and destroy him once and for all." He placed a ruby red crystal in her hands. 

"What's this?" A soft smile appeared on his face as he touched her cheek.

"The crystal of my heart." Serenity nodded her head and stood up, gently placing him on the floor. Standing she held the crystal out in her palm.

"You think that pathetic crystal will save you now? He may have escaped my clutches this time but he'll be mine later. I'll torture him once more as I tortured you. Just because he is the true Shinigami doesn't mean he isn't invincible." Serenity scowled and lowered her hand, not at all startled as the crystal began to rotate in mid-air. 

"I won't let Shinigami's sacrifice be in vain." Chaos chuckled as he watched her. The crystal began to shed beams of red light in all directions before it shot into her chest, earning a shocked gasp from her. Serenity's eyes widened as she viewed Shinigami's life within seconds. The pain, the sorrow, the loneliness. All that time he had been looking for her, to show her he loved her. Tears came to her eyes at the thought of it. 

A new sensation crept through her as it had the day she had first become Sailor Moon. She felt the transformation and knew all that was happening. She was becoming the ultimate Senshi. A black, silken, see-through skirt replaced her sailor skirt. Her white bodice turned dark red, black ribbons replacing her old ribbons. Leather boots adorned her feet and came up to her knees. Her heart crystal turned remained silver only gained a red tint in the center. Silver wings sprouted on either side to match the wings on her back. 

On her forehead was a black chain with a moon pendant dangling from the center. A black collar replaced her sailor trim and her sleeves were made of the same material her skirt was made of. They were tied off at her elbows with red ribbon and were slit down the center to reveal her arms. A black choked with a pendant matching the one on her forehead adorned her neck. Dangling pendants also hung from her earlobes. Her silver hair was up in odangos, black and red ribbon tied around them and spiking up. Shinigami's scythe was in her hand, appearing much more dangerous in her delicate grasp. Chaos' laughter ceased at the sight of her. Lifting her silvery blue eyes to his she spoke, using Hiiro's stoic expression.

"Who's laughing now Chaos?" 


	12. The Final Battle

A/N: Sorry it took so long, but it's here. Sorry the fight scene isn't that good. I suck with that kind of stuff. Thank you all for being so patient! And I dedicate this chapter in loving memory of John Michael, the first person to read my writing and tell me it was worth something. I know he's singing with the angels.

Her pale hand gripped the scythe as she pointed it towards him. "It is because of you I have lost all that I love. First it was my friends and my family on the moon, then it was my life and my friends on Earth, and now you come here to take it all away once I have finally found it all once more. I don't think so." A dark light began to wrap itself around the tip of her scythe. Endymion scowled.

"His sacrifice was in vain. That fool will never have you if I can't! My mother drove me to this then and it is now Duo that I fight! I will have you!" His dark eyes flashed menacingly yet she stood still, staring at him. 

"I shall put you away once and for all Chaos. You shall be locked into the cauldron for the last time; I will not have to see you again. I may have made a mistake the first time because I allowed my feelings to come in the way but this time I assure you it won't happen again. You shall die." Her stature shocked Apollo and Hiiro. They had never seen this side of her before. She was frightening. 

Trowa stood off to the side, gazing at the new form of Usagi. She never ceased to amaze him. Wufei stared at her, emotion filling his dark eyes. If he lost her again he wouldn't know what to do. He prayed this new form would be enough to finish the job. Quatre's gaze became one of confidence and trust. He had to learn that she was no longer the little sister he had protected so long ago. She had grown up, more than he'd ever know or understand. It was time to let go. And last was Hiiro. His heart and mind had finally come to the agreement that they had to move on. He just hoped that she lived through this so he could become close to her once more. But he had to admit; he was scared of losing her once more. 

Shinigami stared at her from his place on the ground. His vision was beginning to blur on him, although he could still make out her form. Why had he been such a fool? He was so eager to find her he hadn't thought about the consequences of his deal. Now he was mortal once more, his powers lost through his betrayal. But it didn't matter. As long as Usagi was alive and safe he was happy. But his sacrifice was going to be in vain. She was going to die in this fight, he just knew it. He watched as she threw a beam of electricity at Chaos only to have it bounce off of him. His malicious laughter echoed throughout the hall. Their surrounding began to change as the floor became black crystal and the buildings and such faded away into the vast darkness of space, the sun still hidden. Chaos built an energy ball in his hands and threw it at Usagi. She dodged the attack, the ends of her now flowing hair becoming singed.

"I'm stronger Usagi, I've had a few years to gain my strength back. And guess whose star seeds I used? Yes, the Starlights. And their Princess' seed was most appetizing. She added more strength to me than I think I have ever consumed." He smirked as he saw Usagi tensing in anger. "Does my tale upset you? Ah, what pleasure." Chaos' face curled into a smirk. Cosmos' eyes were wide with shock and pain. That's why they'd never come back to see her. That's why Seiya had never kept his promise to return to her. Angry tears streamed down her face as she lifted her scythe into the air, holding it as she had often held her power tools from her previous forms. 

Chaos chuckled before throwing a bolt of power towards her. Dodging quickly she kept up her defense as he rained attacks down on her, narrowly missing each and every one. As she evaded the attacks she threw ones of her own, hoping to stall him for a moment. She needed a moment to gather her power for her last and final attack. It wasn't flashy but it was the strongest thing she had and it was most certainly going to put him out of his misery. One thing that Chaos always did was underestimate her. And with Endymion as his form it only made it worse. Neither one knew what power she held within her. For each time he threw an attack she would build up more power, storing it away for his death. Finally he relented, smirking down at her. Standing regally she stared at him, allowing her power to gather fully. A dull fire surrounded her, sweeping upwards. 

"I am a light in this darkness, guiding others to shelter from the storm that is this world. You have once again disrupted our attempt at peace and I shall stand for it no longer. In the name of the Dark Cosmos I shall banish you once and for all!" Lifting her scythe high she tilted her head up as well. "Deep Space Destruction!" (A/N: corny, but what else am I supposed to call it? lol)

Her eyes flashed red before the dark fire consumed the blade of the scythe. She moved in a way that was similar to Sailor Mars' Flame Sniper and her own Moon Escalation attack (A/N: I think that's what that attack is called. The one where she makes the silver circle with the moon scepter and then shoots the little moon thingies. Ya know…um, yeah). When she stopped the fire on the top of the scythe flamed around her in a circle, exploding and sending fireballs outwards. Chaos laughed at her.

"Still as foolish as ever! And your attacks are still as pathetic as before!" As he laughed Dark Cosmos smirked. 

"You sure about that?" The flames surrounded Chaos, forming a solid black sphere of living flames around him. 

The fire filled the sphere, consuming Chaos. He screamed desperately as Shinigami and Cosmos' power attacked him full force. His screams soon ceased and Dark Cosmos removed the shield she had around the pilots before the attack finished. With a grunt she fell to her knees, dropping the scythe as she went. Vaguely she heard the shouts of her friends, and his name. Duo. Was he all right? Would he live? She prayed he would. After all, it was her fault he had become the Shinigami and it was her fault he was near death. Moaning in pain she felt herself being lifted into someone arms. Briefly she opened her eyes to see herself back in the mansion, with its tall stained glass windows. 

"Get Rashid! We need a doctor now!" It was Trowa's voice she heard screaming. Yet, he sounded so distant. 

Glancing down at herself she was shocked to see her silvery blood pooled on her lap, dripping off onto Trowa's arms as he ran down the halls. Her mind spun as she thought about it. Had she been hit? But she had dodged all of Chaos' attacks. What had caused her to bleed like this? It was then she noticed the scratches on her arms and the large wound in her chest. Reaching up she touched Trowa's face, startling him. She saw the dried tears on his cheeks. Had he cried for her? He seemed to run even faster, turning corners like a speed demon. 

"Where's Duo?" Her voice sounded alien to herself. It cracked whenever she tried to lift it above a whisper. 

She felt her body being lowered and watched as Quatre and Wufei ran past her. Then she saw Hiiro. In his arms was an unconscious Duo. Tears came to her eyes as she saw him lowered onto the table next to her. It didn't matter where they had taken them or what they were doing. What mattered was that Duo looked as if he were dead. His pale skin was white as chalk, there were dark circles around his eyes and blood was pouring freely from his chest and wounds on his arms. There was a small stream of blood coming down the side of his face as well.

"I'm so sorry…" Tears escaped her eyes as she felt herself losing strength. Her transformation began to fade, returning her slowly to her Cosmos form and then to each stage beneath that. Soon she was left in her clothes from that afternoon. 

Had it really been only a few hours since all of this had started? Only a few days since she had even met all of these people? It was impossible. All of this had to have been a dream. She'd wake up to find herself in Tokyo once more where she could stroll through Juuban Park on her nightly rounds or sit in the rubble that was once the Crown Arcade. She wouldn't have to watch another person she loved die. She would be able to watch over the people she had sworn to protect millennia ago. Life would be easy again and she'd be alone. Yet, did she really want to be alone again? She'd found her guardians, her best friend's brother, and her friends from the past, her brother and her true love. Did she want to give it all up? Did she want to send them all back into the recesses of her mind just to be alone without a care?

"Usagi! Usagi stay with us!" Wufei's voice brought her mind back into focus and she realized her vision was starting to blur. He gently shook her shoulders as she felt herself being hooked onto machines. Not again. She didn't want to go through this again. Being weak was for fools. When she saw Wufei's worry she smiled slightly.

"Crying for an onna Wufei? Surely you haven't stooped that low?" His eyes softened at her attempt to make him smile. For a moment her vision blacked out again. When she was able to see once more she realized it had been more than just a minute. There were doctors all around her and she was no longer on a plain table. She had bright lights all around her and there was a beeping noise in the background of the voices.

"Usagi!" weakly she turned to see Hiiro. Reaching up she grasped his wrist. 

"Duo, is he alive?" She could barely focus. Had she said that out loud? Had he heard her? Was she awake? 

"Duo is—Usagi? Usagi!" Hiiro watched as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she began to convulse. The doctors around him began shouting things he couldn't understand. Suddenly he was being forced out of the room. 

"No! Usagi!" The only response he got was the heavy metal door of their private operating room slamming in his face. 


	13. Their Return

                A/N: This is a very short chapter, and for that I am sorry. But I wanted a 'cliffy' to some extent and this was the only way to do it. Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews!

                Quatre sat in the hospital chair with dried tears marking his face. Wufei was pacing the room, drinking cup after cup of coffee, which he had once claimed to abhor. Hiiro stood staring into space, still shocked from watching Usagi an hour before. Trowa sat off to the side with Diana as she cried for her princess. They were all frightened she wouldn't make it. 

"What happened to her Setsuna?" Luna stood in Artemis' embrace (A/N: remember that Luna and Artemis took on their true bodies and Diana rid herself of her disguise which was Catherine's body), talking to the ageless guardian. Setsuna wore a dark maroon suit to fit in with those around her. Bowing her head she leaned back against the wall.

"That last attack took every ounce of strength she had. I'm shocked that she even survived this long." Luna sharply inhaled. "When her heart crystal fused with Duo's, it created an energy so strong it could destroy anything. Even her weakest attack would have been enough to kill Chaos. But she didn't know that. She used the most powerful one she had.

"That attack put intense strain on the crystals. They weren't meant to handle that much power. When the attack completed, the crystals overloaded. I guess you could say the strain made them explode." Luna's eyes widened.

"They exploded?" Her voice rose to a shrill cry. The four pilots turned to the conversing guardians. They hadn't been able to hear a word of the conversation until Luna had shrieked. 

"Unfortunately, yes. I didn't think she'd be able to survive the initial impact of the explosion. Now it seems either she'll live, or bleed to death."

"What about the doctors?" Setsuna nearly jumped when he spoke. He hadn't spoken since the shield had dropped. 

"They won't remember a thing once she is treated." Setsuna sighed, placing a hand to her temples to ward off an oncoming migraine. "Duo should be alright. He didn't sustain much damage, just lost a lot of blood. If he had come in any later her might not have made it." Luna moved closer to Artemis, seeking comfort from him. Her Princess, the young woman who had been like a daughter to her was dying. 

"Mommy?" Luna turned to face her daughter. The young girl had tears streaming down her face, her grayish purple hair curling delicately around her face. She and her parents had changed into civilian clothes after Setsuna had, not wanting to draw attention to themselves with their royal garbs. Luna lifted her arm to include her daughter in the embrace she was sharing with her husband. 

"Setsuna, what ever became of the Outer Senshi? If you survived, why didn't they?" Setsuna sighed, remembering that day. She remembered fighting off her Princess, her body not under her control. The others were destroying her with their strongest attacks, mutilating her bit by bit. Usagi had backed out, not wanting to injure her friends. How could they have done that to her? 

~Flashback~(A/N: this was taken from the actual manga. All except the part where the outers remove their bracelets. In the manga they die as well)

                Setsuna grinned maliciously as she lifted her garnet rod. Usagi was crumbling under the strength of their new powers. She watched as Haruka attacked Chibi Moon, sending her to the ground. Saturn attacked next, yet Chibi Chibi blocked her attacked. Neptune attacked next, her attack being stalled by Usagi's attempt to save the two younger scouts behind her. Pluto and Saturn stepped up next, holding their weapons out before them,

                "Garnet Orb!!" Pluto held up her talisman as Saturn held up her glaive.

                "Silence Glaive." Together they smirked.

                "Galactica Cannon!!" The attack slammed into Chibi Chibi, sending her to the ground. Venus attacked Usagi when her guard was down. Putting up her own attack she blocked Venus' blow. Endymion ran from the scene so Usagi followed only to have the scouts go after her. 

                The battle became a blur as attacks were thrown in defense and offense. Usagi was knocked down at one point, after taking too long to retaliate. She just couldn't kill her friends. Her wings were destroyed, as was her attack wand. Yet somehow she managed to stand, even when she was broken and battered and near death. Getting up to her knees she held out her hands, determined to set things straight. Setsuna looked at the other Outers, sensing their distress. They would die if they didn't find a way out of Galaxia's control. Together they pooled the last of their strength, just as Usagi called for her wand.

                "Silver Moon Crystal Power." As she prepared for the attack the bracelets on the Outers snapped open yet they remained in tact. "Therapy Kiss!!" The bodies of the scouts were demolished as their sailor crystals were revealed. 

~End Flashback~

                "But they did survive. Before Sailor Moon attacked us we managed to break Galaxia's hold on our crystals. Because we were released from her spell we were re-formed as ourselves once Usagi killed us. Unfortunately, I don't know where the other three are. They began to travel the galaxy after the battle so that Usagi would never know they were still alive. Like myself, they are ashamed for turning on her. You see, Galaxia's power only worked fully when you wanted to turn on her. In the beginning we did. We wanted out of our destinies. 

                "Yet in the end we wanted her more. She was our best friend. The inners were her friends as well, don't get me wrong. Yet their loyalty was more to their lives. They longed so badly for one of their own. They hated living to serve the planet. Serving Usagi was never an issue, they just wanted out of their preplanned destiny. Yet the others and I, we never cared. We had nowhere to go to start with, which was the difference between the inners and ourselves. They had homes and friends; we only had each other and the condo in Tokyo. So when it came down to that final battle, they wanted out. Galaxia's hold on them was too strong." Setsuna sighed, rubbing her temples once more. This was too much for her to deal with. A hand rested on her shoulder and she looked up into Trowa's emerald eyes.

                "It's okay Sets-chan, we understand." His soft smile made her worry lessen. Smiling in return she lowered her gaze once more. 

                "No! I demand to see her! I don't care what condition she's in!" All heads turned to see who was yelling. A collective gasp was heard from all as they recognized who it was. The person turned to look at them, anger burning behind their ocean green eyes.

                "Setsuna! Tell them to let me go this instant!" Setsuna stepped forward, placing a hand on the guard's shoulder.

                "No, it's okay, she's with us." When the person was released they straightened and narrowed their eyes.

                "I demand that I be allowed to see koneko at once." With that she folded her arms, scowling.

(A/N: If you don't know who that is then you aren't as big of a fan as you claim to be ^-^)


	14. Death Reunited

                A/N: Short but sweet. Maybe I'll let Usagi be awake in the next chapter. Who knows. ^-^ Thanks for all the support you guys! I love you all and God bless!

                Jaws dropped at the sight of the missing Senshi of wind. When Michiru and Hotaru stepped around the corner Luna felt her knees weaken. They really were alive. Haruka's face was an angry scowl as she stormed up to Setsuna, pointing a finger in her face. A worried Michiru rushed after her, grabbing her arm and struggling to pull her back before she did anything she'd regret. Setsuna realized that Hotaru had grown up in the years since the last battle. She was no longer an adolescent but a young woman. She had to be around nineteen or twenty, at least that's how her body appeared. Her true age would never be defined, as well as the rest of the Senshi. 

                "Why didn't you protect her! We left you in charge and this is what happens? You're just as low as the rest of them!" Even Hiiro was surprised when he saw the rage ignite in Setsuna's normally composed eyes. The tall woman stepped forward, meeting Haruka's gaze evenly. 

                "Don't you dare pin this on me Haruka! You know darn well this wasn't my fault! Our princess has the right to do as she wishes and she put the others and I in a barrier that not even I could break! If you care so much then why weren't you there for her?" Haruka didn't flinch as Setsuna yelled at her. Michiru had stepped back, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. And it would be an understatement to say that the group was shocked when Hotaru grabbed Haruka by the hair and pulled her away from Setsuna. The younger Senshi forced the elders to lower themselves to her eye level. A scowl present on her face as a dark flame began to surround her.

                "Cut it out. We don't need any more tension than there already is. And don't you dare speak to Setsuna like that! Who do you think you are?" With that she released Haruka, pushing her away before turning to Setsuna. "I would like to see my brother." Setsuna gathered her composure and began to lead the way. Duo was the only one they were allowed to see for the time being seeing as how he was in stable condition. 

                Haruka followed Hotaru with a frown, her arms crossed over her chest. She was more upset that she had forgotten about Hotaru's sensitivity to the situation than the fact that she humiliated her in front of the pilots. The pilots and Usagi's guardians remained behind as the trio went to Duo's room. Michiru looked at Luna and smiled, bowing low before Luna hurriedly stood her up.

                "There's no need for such formalities anymore Michiru. After all, we're no longer in that era." Her smile was soft as they embraced one another. "Come and sit, we have much to talk about." The two women took a seat before their chatter began. Artemis and Trowa looked on with a smile as Diana joined them, sitting beside her mother.  

                Hotaru suppressed the urge to run to her brother's bedside. He was lying on his back, an IV protruding from his hand. The high-pitched beeping of a heart monitor sounded in the background. Going up to him she took his hand in hers as she sat in the chair next to the bed. Gently she kissed it, noticing the numerous bruises that littered his lithe form. She noticed the bandages wrapped around his bare torso, covering the burns and stitches on his pale skin. His eyes seemed to have sunken further into his skull and his skin was paler than death itself. Sighing Hotaru kissed his forehead, stroking back a few strands of his hair. His braid had been undone and brushed out by one of the nurses to get rid of the blood that had covered it.

                "Oh my dearest brother. After all this time I had hoped to find you well when we finally reunited." A sad smile graced her pale face as she pushed her own hair behind her ear. When his eyelids started to move she smiled. His violet eyes opened to see ones that were almost identical. 

                "Ho—Hotaru?" Hs voice was low and raspy, almost strained. Putting a finger to his lips she silenced him.

                "Hey big Bro. What kind of trouble did you get yourself into this time?" Her smile made tears come to his eyes. Reaching up he ignored the pain in order to hold her. He was shocked to see her. Wasn't she dead? When Hotaru felt his body shaking she stroked his head in order to soothe him. Gently she positioned herself on the bed so that she could hold her brother while they cried together. 

                Setsuna watched from the doorway with Haruka by her side as the twins embraced one another. (A/N: I'm not sure how old Hotaru was during the Silver Millennium but I made her Duo's twin. In my version she was only younger because that's how she was 're-incarnated'.) Haruka's heart softened, automatically forgiving Hotaru for the embarrassing moment just minutes before. She was only so tense because she was scared of loosing her brother and princess. They were all scared of loosing Usagi. Turning she left, giving them time alone. Setsuna smiled to herself, following Haruka. Before they rounded the corner to once again be in the company of the others, Setsuna placed a hand on Haruka's shoulder to halt her. 

                "Haruka, if you would truly like, we could go and see her." Haruka's eyes widened as she nodded. "But I must warn you, it won't be pretty. And you can't let the others know you've seen her." Once more she nodded before hurriedly following the older Senshi. 

                "Do you think Duo's awake now mommy?" Luna held her daughter and sighed.

                "Most likely. Although I think we should wait for Hotaru to come back and tell us how things are. After all, she is his family." The young girl nodded before staring back down at the floor.

                Michiru stood next to Trowa, leaning against the wall. It had been almost two hours since the three Senshi had left to visit their friend. In that time there head been no news of Usagi's progress and it was killing them all. When she felt sudden warmth in her hand she looked to see that Trowa was holding it. Slowly she leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder. It had been too long since she'd been with him. 

                Quatre was pacing the room furiously, unsure whether to be angry, sad or worried. He had seen how much blood had been on her and Trowa when they had placed her on the stretcher and taken her to the ER. That much blood loss would surely kill a person. So if she was dead how come no one had come to tell them? If she was living then she deserved to know her progress.

                Wufei had long ago sat down on the floor to calm his nerves. The caffeine intake had done a number on him. He felt wired beyond belief and the fact that he wanted to scream or cry wasn't helping. The suspense was driving him insane. How could those moronic doctors not give them at least a report on how Usagi was doing? And why did that onna Hotaru get to see Maxwell? Just because she was the man's sister she thought she had every right to see him. What about the pilots and himself? They had spent more time with him than she ever had, especially since they had been sent to this time. He wanted to see how his friend was doing, not that he'd ever admit out loud that he considered Duo to be his best friend. 

                Hiiro stood next to the wall, watching Quatre pace the room. He too was upset about not being able to see her. The same thoughts that were running through his comrade's heads were the same thoughts going through his. Yet every time he tried to sort his thoughts out the incessant sound of Quatre's shoes clicking back and forth on the marble tile of the waiting room interrupted him. It was getting to the point where his anger grew bit by bit every time he heard it. Finally he stood up, growling deep in his throat. Storming angrily out of the room he was unaware of the eyes following him.

                Haruka sat on the floor outside of the operating room, tears streaming down her cheeks. She had long since stopped her cries of 'oh god!' and was now rocking herself back and forth. Setsuna stood against the opposite wall, watching her friend. Haruka had her knees drawn up to her chest and her hands buried in her hair as she rested her forehead against her knees. The sight of Usagi had been too much for her. Setsuna had already known what she looked like, so it wasn't as much of a shock to her system. For nearly an hour and a half they had been in the hallway, not daring to go back. Haruka was in no condition to go back and Setsuna couldn't simply leave her alone. So she stood there, listening to the mumblings of the doctors and nurses from behind the heavy metal doors.

                Haruka's words kept resurfacing as she waited in silence. Why hadn't she gone to aid her princess? Hadn't she sworn to protect her the day she was born? After all this time she had hesitated to help her. Perhaps if she had tried she would have gotten through the barrier. Maybe if she had then Duo would be all right. Maybe Usagi wouldn't be in such critical condition. Just thinking of how her princess had looked made her skin crawl. When Trowa had placed her on the table she had been drenched in her own blood. Her once blue dress was dark maroon, no blue to be seen. Her golden hair was matted with blood and she had lost her flip-flops somewhere along the way. When the sounds of another person coming their way reached her ears she paused and looked up. Haruka ignored the intruder all together. 

                Hiiro walked down the hallway, seeing the silent Setsuna and a very disturbed Haruka. For the first time in his life he felt his heart reach out to another person besides Usagi. Haruka was never that disgruntled. He paused momentarily by her side, seeing that they were in front of Usagi's operating room. Cautiously he kneeled down next to her, watching as she slowly lifted her head. Her blood shot eyes and tear stained face put him off guard. Was Usagi in really that bad of shape? Placing a comforting hand on Haruka's shoulder he stood once more, taking his time. Stepping up to the doors he looked over to Setsuna, asking silent permission to go in. The only response he got was the lowering of her head. Taking a slow, deep breath he braced himself for the worst before opening the doors to look at her.

                What he saw had the same impact as a swift punch to the gut. Usagi lay on the operating table, blood covering her entire body. Stitches covered the many wounds that scattered her once perfect skin. Bruises were everywhere that he could see. One doctor was working on putting pins into her left ankle and knee, to help the bones heal properly. Another doctor was caring for her right arm, which seemed to have been broken as well. Her face was bruised almost beyond recognition. 

                There was a blood covered sheet over the most intimate parts of her body, but he could still see the center of her chest, where the crystals had exploded. The doctors were working on putting a metal plate over the hole. He stumbled back, out of the room and into the wall next to Haruka. Looking over to Setsuna his tear filled eyes conveyed his emotions. Kneeling next to Haruka once more he took the young woman into his arms, his first act of humanity. He needed the comfort. He needed someone who understood how he was feeling. Haruka gripped him, her hard exterior melting as tears overflowed. And that's how the others found them half an hour later, huddled in a ball on the floor sobbing like children. 


	15. Waiting

                A/N: Hurray! I finally got past my writer's block! Do you have any idea how hard it was to get this out? Yes, I know it's corny, and I promise you I will get to the final point on her health next chapter. This is for my reviewers who gave me all that encouragement and kept telling me I could do it when I thought I couldn't. I hope you all enjoy!

                Wufei and Trowa stood stunned in the hallway, watching as the two greatest warriors they had ever known sobbed like children. How long they had been there they had no idea, nor did it matter. Something was terribly wrong. Walking up to them slowly Wufei placed a hand on Haruka's shoulder. She looked up into his eyes, her tears slowly subsiding. Hiiro looked up as well, his eyes bloodshot, more so than Haruka's. Weakly he moved away from her, immediately missing her warmth. The feeling seemed foreign and erroneous at the moment. Wiping his face he looked into the faces of two of the men he trusted most in his life. Trowa was rubbing Haruka's back while she hiccupped away the rest of her sobs. Quatre was talking to Setsuna, not wanting to look at Usagi's condition quite so soon. He knew he would break down in tears if he saw so much as a bruise on her.

                "We came to see if you wanted to talk to Duo. He's up to seeing visitors now." Wufei stood before Hiiro as he composed himself, the impenetrable mask they had come to know plastering itself to his face. When he managed to stand he wobbled and gripped Wufei's shoulders for balance. His feet had fallen asleep while he had been sitting with Haruka. To his surprise Wufei wrapped an arm around his waist, hoisting him to his feet and guiding him down the hall. 

                Glancing behind him he saw that Haruka was leaning on Trowa, her stormy green eyes void of all emotion. Her expression startled him. Moreover it was her lack of expression. It was like seeing himself only in her. That was what he looked like, that was the mask he constantly wore. Had he unknowingly passed it on to her? Had he doomed the strong Senshi to a life of solitude as he had himself? No, he couldn't have. He wouldn't allow it. Just like Usagi had broken his mask he would break hers. When they entered the room they were greeted by Duo's ever-lasting grin. He seemed less than shocked when Haruka embraced him. Hiiro stood off to the side yet made sure to smile when Duo caught his eye; even though the smile was almost unnoticeable.

                "Do you guys think you could sneak in some chocolate? I'm really in the mood for something sweet." There was a small round of laughter as Luna and Diana went to go find him something to eat. Duo glanced over once more at Haruka and Hiiro, noticing something was different. 

                "So, how are you feeling?" Quatre saw the direction in which his mind was wondering and wanted to divert it. Duo smirked, leaning back against his pillows.

                "I've been worse, you guys know that." There was a slight drop to his smile as he noticed Quatre's eagerness. "How's Usagi?" He saw Haruka turn her head away, her sandy bangs hiding her pained eyes from view. Hiiro grasped her hand, something that shocked him quite a bit. 

                "We don't know." Quatre sat down in one of the chairs next to the bed. "They're still working on her." Wufei was staring out the nearest window with his arms crossed yet took a moment to turn to Duo.

                "It's not looking good." Duo's happy demeanor had already fallen, his dark blue eyes hazing over. Sinking low on the bed he brought his hands up to cover his face, taking deep, shuddering breaths. Artemis left the room with Michiru and Trowa, each knowing it was soon to be a private moment. Quatre and Wufei slowly left, unnoticed by the others. Haruka was silently weeping as Hiiro wordlessly comforted her. Hotaru rubbed Duo's back, seeing the tears begin to drip down his face.

                "It's all my fault. I was so selfish…" Haruka suddenly looked up.

                "No, if it weren't for you none of us would be here. We would have never found her; we wouldn't know you guys were still alive. You brought us together." She moved to sit on the end of his bed. "Yes, she's hurt, but she chose to get hurt. She was always choosing to protect us over herself, to take the force of every blow upon herself. That's just who she is." Duo ran his hands up into his bangs, pushing his hair back onto his head. His eyes were red, the tears having left their mark. 

                "It's because of me that she's about to die." His gaze was fixed on the ceiling, refusing to look at any of them. Hiiro moved closer, standing opposite of Hotaru.

                "It's because of you that we're all alive. If you hadn't given her that crystal we would have all been killed and she wouldn't have stood a chance." He sat next to him, catching his gaze and holding it. "Don't you dare blame yourself, okay? You saved her in that first moment, you gave her the strength to finish the battle that she's been fighting all her life. She did it because she loves us, all of us." Both young men had tears streaming down their faces. 

                Duo sat forward, using all of his remaining strength not to cry out in pain. Reaching forward he pulled Hiiro into his embrace. For a moment Hiiro just sat there, unable to move. His old self would have pushed Duo away, disgusted at his display of emotion. But he wasn't his old self; Usagi had changed him and reminded him how to live life. So he wrapped his arms gently around his friend, being careful so as not to injure him further. He felt him shake with each sob, the tears soaking his shirt. This was too much to bear. Usagi couldn't die, she just couldn't. She was what had changed him, had taught him how to feel again. It was because of her he remembered his past and who he had been, who he was. He wasn't alone anymore; he was finally letting himself be happy. If she died, she would never know how she had worked in his life, in all their lives. 

                "Do you think she'll make it?" Michiru sat with her head on Trowa's chest. When it had begun to grow later they had decided to camp out in the waiting room. Blankets and cots had been brought in for them. Diana and Luna slept together on one while Artemis had moved one over next to them. Hotaru had fallen asleep in her chair at Duo's bedside. An extra dose of morphine had knocked him out for another couple of hours. Quatre was in a deep, nightmarish sleep, tossing and turning every few minutes. On the floor, propped up against a wall, was Wufei. Hiiro and Haruka were together on one cot, his arm around her in order to hold her closer.

                "I hope so." Trowa was leaning against the wall while he sat on his cot. Michiru was half asleep, unable to be alone. Setsuna hadn't been seen since they'd visited Duo, they could only suspect she'd returned to the time gates. They couldn't be left unmanned for too long. 

                "Hello?" A doctor in his mid-fifties appeared around the corner, his rectangular glasses pushed up against his face. Trowa gently untangled himself from Michiru in order to get up.

                "Yes?" The doctor walked forward, coming fully into view. The white lab coat he wore was tainted red at the sleeved.

                "I thought you were all asleep. I came to update you on Miss Usagi's condition." Trowa and Michiru were in front of him in the blink of an eye.

                "How is she?" Michiru unconsciously clutched Trowa's arm with such a strength that he winced.

                "She's just reached a stable point, but we don't know how long she'll stay there. There were several broken bones, many fractures, numerous bruises and scratches, all very mysterious. Two wounds required stitches. The amount of blood she lost should have been fatal, part of the reason it's taking so long for her to remain conscious and responsive. We'll be lucky if she'll regain her ability to speak, there was a severe wound close to the trachea that required internal patching. All in all it's a miracle she's still alive." Trowa felt his chest tighten with each word the doctor spoke. 

                "What about the chest wound?" The doctor sighed, pulling off his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose as if to ward off an oncoming headache.

                "There was tremendous damage to her ribcage and lungs. Fortunately we were able to stitch the tissue together on her lungs. We placed two metal bars on her ribs to help them heal since they were completely shattered. There is however a metal plate now in her chest. We were able to place most of the skin back in place over it, but the plate will have to stay there. If it doesn't it could result in severe respiratory problems." Trowa forced the air to exit his lungs before inhaling sharply. So much damage had been done, all from one stupid battle. If Michiru hadn't been on his arm he would have swung at the wall to punch a hole in it. 

                "What are the chances of her staying stable?" Michiru's voice was quiet and hopeful, making him turn to look at her. A memory of their past hit him just then.

~Flashback~

                Trowa sat in the garden nearest the lake. He had just returned from the battle with Beryl, the rest of the Prince's royal guards were at the palace talking to the Queen. Neither of the royal children had as of yet been located. Her Senshi were searching the battlegrounds of Zero star for her at that very moment. Looking up he was able to see a figure walking towards him, clad in the traditional fuku for the royal guardians. Neptune walked up to him slowly, her gaze downcast. In a flurry of lights she was back in her royal gown, a teal green that matched her eyes. She took the empty seat next to him, weary and worn from her search.

                "Any signs of them?" Shaking her head she placed it upon his shoulder, sighing. 

                "We've searched everywhere, but there's nothing. Not even an energy signature." Trowa felt anger and sorrow knot tightly in his chest.

                "They're not coming back." As tired as she was she managed to stand again, and with such defiance it frightened him for a moment.

                "Don't say that. They're the strongest people I know, and together they're unstoppable. They'll be back just you wait. And you call yourself their guardian." She turned away from him, her burst of energy gradually fading. Standing he walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

                "You're right, I'm sorry. I'm just so worried about them. What if they're hurt?"

                "They'll be alright. Don't forget, they can heal themselves completely in a matter of hours." With a smile she turned to him. Trowa planted a soft kiss on her neck before he placed one on her lips. "You just need to have a little faith." Together they smiled, taking another moment to themselves before heading back towards the castle to form another search party.

~End Flashback~

                "She has about a twenty percent chance of making it. But the scaled have already tipped immensely in her favor." The doctor sighed. "I must get back now, I just wanted to let you know the progress." As he turned on his heal another voice broke the silence.

                "Can we see her?" Hotaru stood behind them; sleep still clinging to her eyes. The doctor nodded before heading down the hall. Eagerly Hotaru followed, waking more with each step. Michiru rushed after her so Trowa felt he had no choice but to follow. 

                He was worried. Hiiro and Haruka's reactions had frightened him, mainly because they were the strongest out of all of them. The dark halls seemed to grow longer and wider as he walked, the black marble floor glistening in the dim lights that lined the wall. It was like a walk of death, when one knew that the end held only more darkness. What would this tunnel bring him? The life of his best friend or the death of the one person he was living for? They stopped at the metal doors and he felt his heart rate increase. This was it. Reaching out he pushed the door open; flooding the patch they stood on with a white glow that glistened in the quartz that was embedded within the marble. Taking Michiru's hand they walked in to find Usagi. Michiru's hand flew to her mouth as a soft gasp passed her lips before she ran to the bedside. Hotaru ran to her side as well, grasping her uninjured hand. Trowa could do nothing more than stand in mute horror. 


	16. Waking Up

                A/N: A short, cheesy comeback chapter. This story is coming to an end, I can just feel it. So sorry for the long wait, but it's been so hard to get to a point where I could get past this incident. So here you go, and thanks for being so patient with me. I should have another chapter for this soon. God bless! 

                Trowa watched Usagi's chest rise and fall in an artificial motion. This couldn't be her. This pale, fragile shell of a being couldn't be the woman that had protected the galaxy for so many centuries. As he stared at her, registered every wound upon her, he noticed something that puzzled him. There was a cut on her chin shaped like a moon with a line jutting out to her neck. It was slightly bigger than a quarter yet brought a new understanding to him. 

~Flashback~

                "Usagi, watch out!" Trowa and Duo were chasing after a young, five year old Usagi. They themselves were around ten or so and were therefore put in charge of her while her personal guard was training. Usagi had run away from them in a game of tag and gotten out onto the rough land of the moon. She wasn't used to the terrain and began to stumble on her dress. Trowa watched helplessly as his young princess fell to her face on the rocky surface. Usagi sat up with a pout, tears building in her large, crystal blue eyes. 

                "Princess!" Duo was at her side before him and was able to help her stand, brushing off her knees and dress. Trowa knelt before her, watching as blood steadily dripped to the front of her gown. A rock had cut a line shaped like a crescent moon into her chin. 

                "Oh, Usagi, we told you to be careful. You know you're not allowed out here. Come, let's go get that fixed up." As he took her hand to lead her back to the castle he was stopped by Duo's hand on his arm.

                "Trowa, look." The two watched as a silver glow engulfed her wounds and the blood stains before disappearing. They were shocked to see that there wasn't a mark on her and the blood was gone. Usagi smiled happily.

                "How did it do that?" Trowa knelt once more to touch the silvery, flawless skin of her chin. Duo was just as puzzled as he searched her knees.

                "It's the gift that mommy gave me. See?" They looked up to see her small, outstretched hand. In her palm was a teardrop of a crystal, glowing with the same illumination that had covered her wounds. Immediately the two, young guardians realized what it was. Selenity had passed down the crystal. 

~End Flashback~

                "Oh, Usagi, please wake up." Trowa moved to her side, kneeling so that he was level with her face. Placing his head next to hers he ran a finger gently over the scar. "You're stronger than this Usa-chan. Crystal or no crystal you're still the strongest person I know." He didn't sense Michiru or Hotaru's eyes on him as he spoke. The same thought occurred to the young girls at the same time, making them stand in fright. From their sub-space pockets they retrieved their transformation wands, holding them up. 

                "Saturn Planet Power!"  
                "Neptune Planet Power!" In silence the two waited, Trowa's eyes resting on them in silent agony. They were attempting to transfer their power to her, as they had done in the past to help create Eternal Sailor Moon and give power to the Holy Grail. They held their breaths as they watched the lights of their powers go to reach her chest, where her crystal abided. It was with laden hearts that they watched the powers ricochet off her chest and return to their power sticks. 

                "No…" Hotaru stared with wide eyes, tears threatening to spill over at any moment. But it was Michiru that he was worried about. She looked as if her world had been shattered to pieces. 

                "This can't be…the crystal, it's her…it was…" Trowa stood and wrapped his arms around her, not minding that she didn't move to reciprocate the movement.

                "It's gone." There was dampness on his neck as her head lowered and her arms came up to grip his shoulders for support. Hotaru sat next to Usagi, not daring to touch her for fear that she might die right then and there.

                "I'll return Princess, I promise you that." With that she was gone, no doubt to speak with Setsuna. Trowa couldn't bear to be in that room any longer. He didn't want to remember her like this, nor did he think anyone else should have. 

                "This place is quiet…too quiet…" Duo wandered the deserted halls of the medical wing. For two weeks they'd had him cooped up in that room with visitors only twice a day for an hour. It was driving him insane. He wanted to see Usagi more than anything in the world and no one had said a word of her progress to him. As he walked he allowed his hair to swing over his shoulder, keeping the cold that radiated from the hall away from him. 

                Vaguely he remembered Usagi's form before he'd passed out completely. Once or twice he'd woken up to see her bloody and battered body and felt his heart wrench at the thought. What if she had died and no one had told him? _'No, she's stronger than that.' _Even if it took hours to find her room he would do it. He needed to see her, to be near her. It was then that he came upon large metal doors, glistening in the milky white light of the moon that shone through the windows high in the ceiling. Something inside of him pulled him to that door, told him that what he was looking for was behind it. Swallowing hard he gently pushed it open, a shiver running down his spine at the frigidness. 

                It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the room, produced by a small lamp on a table next to the only bed. A form lay there, covered by a baby blue blanket, breathing steadily. His heart rate sped up as he stared at the shadow, not needing to be closer to see the damage. Gathering his strength he moved closer, the light illuminating what his mind had already registered. A cast on her arm and leg, her chest wrapped heavily in bandages, bruises covering her perfect skin, stitches covered slightly by small bandages and a brace around her neck. Duo nearly fell to his knees as he saw the damage that had been done. Damage that he'd caused because of his selfishness. If he hadn't agreed to work for Chaos, she wouldn't be like this. He recognized the wound on her chin immediately and felt a flood of pain wash over him. The crystal was gone, that was the only explanation. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed he brushed back her golden locks of wavy hair. They'd brushed it washed out the blood for her as they had done with him. Leaning forward he placed a gently kiss on her forehead, pushing back the tears that threatened to spill forth. 

                "I'm so sorry my tenshi, I never meant for any of this to happen." Carefully he held her, silently willing her to be all right. A soft touch on his arm made him open his eyes to see dark, crystal clear blue staring back. A smile came to his lips, sad yet grateful. He saw her lips move as she went to speak, yet no sound escaped. Wearily she shut her eyes, opening them slowly.

                "Don't try to talk, please. You've been through so much, just rest." Her head moved slowly in a nod, restricted by the brace and the pain that flooded her body. Her left hand came up to his face, her fingertips brushing across his cheek. Duo held back a sigh, shutting his eyes while basking in the warmth of her touch. Lowering his head he placed a gently kiss on her lips.

                "You're going to be okay, I just know it. We'll get you through this, I promise." Wearily she smiled, shutting her eyes as she took a staggering breath. Slowly Duo positioned himself on the bed so that he was lying next to her, his arm draped over her stomach. She looked at him once more with a soft smile before drifting off to sleep. For nearly an hour he just lay there, watching her as she slept. If it were the last thing he did he'd make this up to her. He loved her too much to let this go by.


	17. Aching Hearts

                A/N: I must say, this chapter surprised even me. I didn't think I'd do this, but I did….Anyway, here you go. Not much, but it's the best I can do for now. Thanks for all your support guys!

                It had been over half a year since the defeat of Chaos. Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna and Hotaru had vanished once more with avid promises of a swift return. Once a week there would be a letter for each of them, and several for Usagi. Her wounds had healed, her casts having been taken off a month before. She was now undergoing strict physical therapy with Wufei and Hiiro to regain her range of motion. Duo had been missing since the day he'd been found with Usagi. No one understood why he'd left, or where he'd gone, but they knew he needed to be alone. He had placed a lot of the blame for Usagi's injuries upon himself, and was no doubt going to redeem himself in his own way.

                "Come on Usagi, two more." Usagi looked ahead of her, determination in her eyes as she gripped the parallel bars at her sides. Shutting her eyes tightly she lifted herself up, bending her knees as she did so. There was a faint crack as her elbow adjusted to the pressure. Setting herself back down she repeated the motion once more, hissing in pain as she dropped to her feet. Wufei had his hands on her stomach and back at once, helping her remain balanced. 

                "Okay, let's go get some lunch." Hiiro smiled at her from the other side, offering her a hand to help her walk. Smiling in return she went to him, grateful that he walked slowly with her. Sometimes Wufei would make her walk normally after practice so that her leg would get used to supporting her again. Hiiro understood her need to move cautiously and would sometimes carry her to lunch after a therapy session. 

                "Hey, Quatre, any news from Michiru and the others?" Trowa appeared in the entrance to the gardens, a half eaten apple in his hand. Together they walked into the kitchen from the back entrance, the open glass doors allowing the afternoon sun to light up the large room.

                As Hiiro set Usagi down at her usual seat, she watched them converse about the day's plans and what they were going to do. After all this time they'd finally regained normal lives, the lives they'd deserved to have all along. At times she longed to be able to answer them normal when they asked her how she was feeling and what she was thinking. Instead she had to use a handheld communicator to type to them her response. Each of them had one; it was almost like an instant messaging system. She could allow whichever one she wanted to read what she was writing, or just one. 

                The only thing she wouldn't tell them was her longing for Duo. She could still remember waking up and seeing his gorgeous, violet-blue eyes staring into her own. His hair had been down, no longer restrained by his braid. His voice had been calm and reassuring, letting her know she'd be all right. It hurt her more than words could express that he'd left her the next morning and hadn't been seen since. Once in a while they would receive a letter stating that he was doing all right, and that he would return soon. But soon seemed like never to her. Days turned into weeks, the weeks into months, and soon it would be a year. Had he forgotten about her? Did he no longer love her? The thought of him never returning made her want to crawl into a hole and die. What was even more frightening was her growing bond with Hiiro. She didn't want it; she wanted Duo.

                "Usa-chan, what is it?" Coming back to reality she was shocked to see her friends staring at her, worried expressions on each of their faces. With a quick nod she stood and began to wobble out of the room. She didn't see the others try to follow her and Trowa holding up a restraining arm. Instead he went after her, gently putting an arm around her waist to support her. 

                They entered one of the private drawing rooms, decorated with shelves of books and antique furniture. Usagi allowed herself to be placed on the couch and broke down sobbing. She'd held it all in for so long, she just couldn't do it anymore. Duo was never coming back for her; he simply didn't care anymore. Her emotions were running rampant as she thought about Hiiro taking his place; slowly filling the void that Duo had left behind. Desperately she wanted to push him away, let him know she simply didn't feel that way for him. But how could she convince him of that when she found it hard to believe herself?

                "Let it all out Usagi, it's alright." No, it wasn't alright. His comforting hand on her back did nothing more than remind her of the past, of times when it had been Duo consoling her. She shook her head to get her point across. Slowly she pulled out her communicator and began to type furiously. Trowa unclipped his from the waistband of his pants and looked at what she was writing.

                _'It's not alright! It never will be! Duo's gone and he's never coming back!' _Trowa put his communicator down and immediately pulled her into his arms.

                "You know that's not true. Duo loves you Usagi, he always has and always will. Yes, he's gone for the time being, but it doesn't mean he's forgotten you." She sobbed freely for some time before they gradually subsided. At some point Trowa was called out of the room for a telephone call so Usagi curled up on the couch, hugging a pillow. Her eyes were still red yet no longer puffy. After a time she closed her eyes, weary from crying. Even with her eyes shut she could still feel another presence in the room. Lifting her hand in the air she snapped her fingers, alerting whoever it was that she knew they were in there with her. The cushions above her knees dipped slightly as the person sat. Opening her eyes she concealed her shock at seeing Hiiro.

                "How are you feeling?" With a shrug she looked away from him. If she looked for too long she was afraid he'd see what she really felt. "Don't brush me off with a shrug, I'm not one of the others. That may satisfy them but I know you better then that." The depth to his words pulled her eyes to his. He was talking about the past as well, all the time they had shared together. Sighing she sat up, her shoulder touching his arm as she sat still. 

                "You can trust me Usagi, I'm not going anywhere." His words stung yet she knew they were true. Unlike Duo he would never run from her, he would always be there. Again tears trailed her face. Hiiro put a hand to her face, his thumb erasing the tear trail. "Please don't cry, I didn't mean it like that." She nodded, understanding what he meant.

                _'I'm sorry.'_ She mouthed the words to him, staring into his eyes as she did. Usagi knew he'd understand; he'd been trained to read lips. 

                "Don't be." He was so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheeks. Involuntarily she felt her heart rate increase, the butterflies running rampant in her stomach. 

                She didn't want this; she loved Duo. But he was right there, and he cared so much. She knew that she cared as well, just not as much as he did. Could she one day love him the way he loved her? Would she be able to forget Duo? Her mind registered the closing distance between his face and hers. Desperately she tried to think of reasons not to do this, of ways she could get away without hurting him. Yet something inside of her made her stay, told her she needed to find out the truth. 

                Before she knew it his lips were touching hers in a gentle kiss. It felt as if all the air had been forced out her lungs, as if this were her first kiss in the world. His other hand came up to her face as he kissed her again. For a brief moment she tried to make herself pull away, to stop it before it went too far. But it already had. Moving closer she kissed him back, all rational thought flooding her mind as she was lost in the sensation. It was soft, tender, and full of love.

                Hiiro gently pulled her closer, unable to believe that it was happening. She was kissing him. Not because she had to, but because she wanted to. It was the most enchanting kiss he'd ever had. She was too perfect to describe, as was the moment. Several times they pulled away to breathe, only to return to their heated embrace. He loved her so much and it had taken so long for him to draw away from her. Somewhere in the back of his head he knew this was wrong, that she still loved Duo to some degree. But Duo was gone; he'd left her. If Duo had loved her he wouldn't have let her go. Now it was his turn, his turn to love and be loved in return. 


	18. Waiting

                A/N: A quick note- this will not, and I mean NOT be an Usagi and Hiiro story. To the person who wrote that she deserved better than Duo, shame on you. ^-^ Duo just so happens to be my favorite character, and there's a reason he's gone. You'll just have to wait to find out why.

                "Trowa, we need to talk." Trowa looked up from his spot on the plush, library couch, placing his bookmark inside his book. Wufei was sitting at one of the study desks and shut his book, standing and walking over to the opposite couch. Trowa watched him sit, sighing as he took off his glasses.

                "What about?" Wufei reclined in the chair, shutting his eyes. 

                "Usagi and Hiiro." Trowa nodded, fully understanding what his friend was talking about. For the past month they had been disappearing for long lengths of time. Not necessarily together, but it was painfully obvious that they would meet up with one another. He'd already spoken to Quatre about it, and they had come to the conclusion that they were having an 'affair'. 

                "This is going to kill Duo…" Trowa frowned, watching as his Chinese friend pinched the bridge of his nose, warding off an incoming migraine. 

                "If it's really gotten this far, I think it should be Usagi to tell him." Wufei's eyes shot open.

                "You think I'd be that dishonorable? Honestly Barton, give me more credit than that." The tension between them grew slightly before fading, apologetic glances being shared. 

                "It's none of our business, we shouldn't be doing this. It is Usagi's life after all." Wufei frowned, his brow knitting in frustration.

                "How could she do that to him? All he ever did his entire life was love her, and this is what she does? I thought she loved him in return. She went through so much pain and heartache to get him back, and now that she has him she's blowing him off. Even Maxwell doesn't deserve this." Venom dripped from his words, his anger painfully obvious.

                "I think she's just confused. She's hurt, lonely, feels abandoned… I think this is just a cry for help, in a way." The conversation continued much along the same lines for half an hour, until the setting sun cast its golden rays through the window. Both young men felt pity for Duo, yet couldn't quite understand Usagi's reasoning for going to Hiiro. Was it possible she was falling in love with him?

                Their ponderings were cut short when a gong sounded; alerting them to the fact that dinner was ready. Usagi and Hiiro were already in the kitchen, sitting apart from one another. Quatre had set the table, having prepared spaghetti and meatballs for them all. The first few minutes were spent in silence; only the sound of clinking silverware could be heard. Finally, Usagi could stand it no longer. She slammed her utensils on the table, her gaze downcast and her face flushed with anger. The four pilots stared at her, unsure of what they were supposed to do. Usagi continued to stare, her hands beginning to shake from the tension. A tear slipped down her face as she forced her chair back, standing abruptly. Hiiro stood as well, placing a hand on her arm only to have it roughly shaken off. The look she gave him was more intense and filled with more anger than any glare Hiiro had ever given. 

                "Stay away from me." They were so shocked to see her push Hiiro away that they didn't even realize she had talked. As she stalked out of the room they merely stared at her, not able to say a word. When the shock of her defiance faded, they realized she had spoken. Looking at Hiiro they saw that he had sat back down, a glum expression on his face. He was finally beginning to show how he felt instead of raising his mask of indifference. 

                "Hiiro, what's going on?" Quatre was the bold one, not afraid to tread on forbidden ground. Hiiro half-heartedly rolled a meatball around his bowl, frowning in thought.

                "We've been spending time together. I've been helping her regain her speech while she's been teaching me how to express myself." Trowa and Wufei shared a quick glance before moving on.

                "We mean, what is going on between you and Usagi romantically." At this Hiiro's frown deepened, his eyes showing more pain than he wanted to. 

                "Nothing, not anymore at least." His comrades looked at one another in surprise. "It stopped almost two weeks ago. She just…" Hiiro couldn't finish his sentence. He took a deep breath and sighed, sitting back in his chair. 

                "She just what Hiiro?" Wufei crossed his arms, waiting to hear what his answer would be. 

                "She couldn't betray him, even if he had her. She's still in love with him." Hiiro scowled. "He doesn't deserve her." 

                "You don't know that, so just shut up." Wide eyes turned to Quatre as his face turned red with anger. "Duo loves her more than his own life, he'd do anything for her. Don't discuss matters which you are not informed of Yuy." Hiiro and Quatre stared each other down, each sending a death glare at the other. Hiiro was the first to back down, returning to his pasta. Quatre stared a moment longer before continuing with his dinner.

                Usagi sat down on her bed, thoroughly frustrated and angered. She knew what the others thought, that she was being unfaithful to Duo, and that he deserved better than her. True, she had been with Hiiro for about a week, seeking his comfort. It was during that time that she realized she simply couldn't go through with it. Even if Duo had forgotten her, she couldn't forget him. At one point she had thought that Hiiro could fill the void left by him, only to realize that he took up a whole different part of her heart. He was like her brother; she simply couldn't see him as more than that. At dinner she had just felt it all explode. They were so silent, watching her every move, waiting to see if their suspicions were true. Yes, she was spending a lot of time with Hiiro but it was for a good cause. She wanted to be able to speak to Duo once he came back, wanted to be able to tell him how much she loved him and missed him. 

                "Where are you Duo?" Usagi lay on her side, holding herself in a fetal position as silent sobs overtook her. 

                Part of her wished she had never left her time, had never met Duo once more. She missed the days where she knew what was to happen, when she had been able to walk the shadows in peace. She had been happy in ignorance. In that time she had only known one past, one future. Even if it wasn't the real one, it suited her. She had accepted it. Now suddenly she was dragged into a different time and place, a time where her past didn't exist. She'd found her true love, and had thought that all would be well once more. This time brought more pain to her than the previous. She'd had to fight Chaos again, reliving every single memory of when she'd been forced to kill her best friends, as well as her lover. On top of that she'd had to lose the love of her life, the love she'd died and been willing to give up everything for. 

                It simply wasn't fair. This life, this time, her past, her future. All it was, all it ever would be, was repetition. She was doomed to watch everyone she loved leave her and not be able to do a thing. Worst of all she couldn't even return to her time. She didn't know how to contact Setsuna and her crystal had been destroyed. Wasn't she supposed to be happy? Never again would she have to fight to save the earth, she was freed of that curse. Yet she was miserable. She found herself wishing it all back, wanting to be alone again. At least when she was alone she couldn't be hurt like this. 


	19. Early Morning Sledding

                A/N: The long awaited chapter! I must give a shout out to all you Duo fans for sticking with me. How can we resist that boyish charm of his? hehe

                "Usagi, come on!" Quatre burst into Usagi's room to find her braiding her hair. "It's the first snow of the season and it's more than enough to sled! Come on!" He grabbed her hand, dragging her out of her door as she struggled to put on her boots. 

                An enthusiastic Trowa and an oddly childish Quatre had woken her up that morning. They'd practically forced her to go sledding with them. It had been yet another month since she'd first spoken out loud to them. In that time, twice Haruka and the others had visited them. They hadn't stayed for long though, they were still in charge of guarding the outer solar system for the time being. Setsuna had been working with them on a way to combine all of their crystals so that they would no longer need to guard the planets. Yet in the time they'd stayed, it had become obvious that the outer Senshi had an attraction to the pilots. And although they denied it, the pilots reciprocated those feelings. 

                Trowa and Michiru openly admitted their love for one another. Centuries didn't even have the slightest effect upon it. Quatre and Setsuna were both too shy to admit to one another that they were interested in one another. They would constantly flirt and not even realize it. Wufei and Hotaru had a 'love and hate' relationship. Every time they were in a room together they would argue over silly things before challenging one another to battle. Wufei would back down at that point, saying that it would be an injustice to fight her. In reality they all knew he was afraid that she would use her power against him. 

                Haruka and Hiiro were close to admitting to one another how they felt though. Hiiro was still pained by Usagi's rejection and often went to Haruka to talk. She had confided in Usagi that she felt strongly for him, yet didn't want to be his rebound. From bits that Hiiro had told her, Usagi had gathered that he felt the same for Haruka. Although she had hurt him, what he didn't realize was that he'd begun to develop feelings for her when they'd first met. Over time he'd come to acknowledge them and all would fall in place. 

                "Let's get going!" Wufei stood at the front door looking like an over stuffed marshmallow. 

                His black coat was puffed out and his snow pants made him look extremely bulky. He had on a headband to keep his ears warm as well as gloves. When he walked to open the door Usagi couldn't help but laugh at him. He seemed to waddle when he walked. She herself had dressed warmly yet had kept the bulkiness to a minimum. Her black coat was slim yet provided more than enough warmth. Her thin gloves were insulated on the inside to keep her fingers warm and her pants were waterproof and lined with wool. Trowa was dressed much the same, only his coat was slightly larger than hers. Quatre was almost identical to her, the only difference being the colors. 

                "I take it Wufei doesn't like the cold?" They were outside now, pairing up on snowmobiles. Wufei looked at her and scowled, sticking his tongue out in a childish manner. His expression was cut short as Quatre gave the mobile some gas and quickly slammed on the brakes, making Wufei nearly fall off. The three of them chuckled as Wufei mumbled under his breath. 

                "Where's Hiiro?" The ride to the hills was to last ten minutes at most. Trowa spoke to her over his shoulder so his voice wouldn't be carried off by the sound of the engine and the wind.

                "He went ahead of us with the sleds, he was getting tired of waiting." She nodded, focusing on the passing scenery. The trees were laden with snow and icicles, creating the perfect wonderland on one side, while rolling hills stretched to her right as far as she could see. Resting her head on Trowa's back she sighed, her breath forming a small cloud that was whisked away. 

                Since her outburst she had spent a lot of time remedying her sad demeanor. She'd become happy again, finding joy playing chess with Wufei, reading with Quatre as well as working with him in his office, helping Trowa keep up maintenance on his Gundam, and training with Hiiro. Her time alone with him had drawn a line between them, establishing a purely platonic love. He took care of her the same way the others did, as a sister and friend. There were times when she'd be alone and drift off to the longing in her heart. Duo's letters were never addressed to her, nor did they ever have a message for her. They were all short, three lined sentences stating his health. He'd given up a while ago on saying he'd be home soon; they all knew it was a lie. 

                "Hey, earth to Usagi?" Shaking her head she giggled, getting up to follow Trowa to the slope of the hill. The part of her that had existed long ago was beginning to come back. The care free, bubbly teenager was making a comeback. True, she was long past her teen years, but she deserved this. Those years had been ripped away by a destiny she'd never wanted; it was her time to shine now. 

                "So, what do you think?" Her eyes widened in delight when she saw the size of the hill. It looked more like a valley from her point of view. She smiled when she saw Hiiro's form spinning around on one of the round sleds halfway down the hill. A mixture of laughter and cautious yells could be heard coming from his mouth. The group laughed heartily when he reached the bottom, tumbling head over heals into the snow and ending up facing them, his hair covered in snow and a foolish grin upon his face. 

                "Me next!" Quatre dove onto one of the flat sleds head first, sliding down at an alarming rate while whooping for joy. When he reached the bottom, he ran to catch up to Hiiro as they climbed back up the hill. Once they were standing back on the hill they laughed, brushing the snow out of their hair. 

                "Ready Usagi?" Looking over at Trowa she raised an eyebrow.

                "Ready for what?" Before she knew it she was being lifted off her feet while someone tied a blindfold over her eyes. 

                For a moment she struggled yet failed in the end as they placed her on a sled, shoving her down before she had a chance to reach up and undo the blindfold. With a small scream she gripped the sides of the round sled, feeling herself spinning out of control as Hiiro had. At one point she lost the sled completely and just slid a few feet before tumbling over, snow gathering in the wisps of hair that had come out of the braid. Breathing hard with a smile on her face she laid there spread eagle, reveling in the thrill of the ride. From a small distance away she could hear the crunching of boots and could only guess it was one of the guys, coming to check if she had made it down all right. She'd heard the sound of a snow mobile coming from one side of her when she'd been sliding down. Her breathing having returned to normal, she sat up, grinning, before standing. It would be more fun if she left the blindfold on. The crunching of the snow stopped somewhere close to her. 

                "Alright, now whose idea was this?" Her smile was broad although her voice was still weak, displaying her laughter softly yet efficiently. Reaching out for the person she came in contact with their winter coat. 

                Taking off her gloves she reached out again to touch the contours of the person's face, confident that she had each one of their faces memorized. Her fingers came in contact with the soft skin of their cheek. For a moment she frowned in confusion. Reaching further up she traced their cheekbone and then their eyes as they shut them. Her fingers trailed down to the prominent nose before touching their lips. Usagi didn't realize that she was gaping at this point, her mind reeling. Their hand came up, capturing hers and kissing her palm tenderly. Her breathing once more quickening she tore off the blindfold, staring into the eyes she'd dreamt of for so long. He smiled at her, his smile no longer holding the sadness it once had. The mere sight of him took her breath away. 

                "Duo…" 


	20. Sealing Fate

                A/N: My last chapter before the epilogue. I'm so glad that you have all given me such support for this story and enjoy it so much. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. 

                For a moment Usagi stood her ground, unable to move a muscle. Her shock was soon overcome by her joy as she threw her arms around his neck, pressing herself to him. Duo held her close, breathing in the scent of her hair and skin. He's missed her so much he couldn't begin to describe it.

                "I'm so sorry Usagi. It took me so much longer than I had planned." She pulled away for a minute, staring him in the eyes.

                "Why? Where did you go?" Usagi hit his arm as she questioned him. She was furious with him but her joy to have him back overrode that anger. Duo took her by the arms slouching slightly so that they were eye to eye. 

                "I had to know Usagi, I had to know why I did what I did. Whether or not my love for you was that strong or if it had just been revenge that had driven me. I needed to understand what had been paining me for so long." By now she had tears in her eyes and couldn't look up at him.

                "Did you find your answers?" Duo smiled brightly before kissing her forehead and pulling her into his embrace.

                "Yes, I did." Sniffling she looked up at him, frightened yet eager to hear what they were.

                "What were they?" Duo's face became tender with love as he held her face with his bare hand, stroking her cheek.

                "That I love you more than anything in this universe. It was my love for you that drove me to find you, and my thirst for revenge to kill the one who had pained you so. When I realized it was me, I thought the best way to solve it was to never return. By doing that however, I'd only be hurting you more. It wasn't until I realized that being with you was all that mattered that I came back. No matter what the past is we have our futures ahead of us. For once we can live the lives of normal people. We can settle down, have a family and live happily ever after." Usagi smiled.

                "So you're going to stay now?" Duo rested his forehead upon hers.

                "If you'll let me." Reaching up she embraced him again, whispering in his ear.

                "Don't ever leave me again." Holding her in return he kissed her cheek before replying.

                "Never again, odin lowe." (A/N: yes, Odin Lowe is the name of the man that was partnered with Hiiro as a young child. In Russian, odin lowe means 'my only love', yet in translation from its original language it loses the potency. It's like calling someone your soul mate basically.)

                "Is the love fest over yet?" Together they turned to see Wufei huffing and puffing about the situation with his arms crossed. Quatre and Trowa were smiling, glad to see the happy reunion. Hiiro remained stoic, yet in his eyes she could tell he was happy for her. Before she could reply Duo grabbed her and kissed her deeply, bending her over backwards like the men in romantic movies did. Usagi couldn't help the leg that went up in the air for balance, nor the giggle that escaped her as she heard Wufei's disgusted protests. When he righted her again, he placed his arm around her waist, holding her close.

                "Now we are Wu-man." Wufei blanched for a minute. Walking up to Duo he scowled. With one swift movement he punched Duo in the arm, causing him to wince. Yet the next moment he had the young man in an embrace, his eyes tightly shut.

                "Ever do that again and I'll be forced to kill you Maxwell." Duo smiled, hugging his friend in return. Wufei had his own ways of showing affection, and it meant a lot that the friendship wasn't one sided. When the young men pulled apart Wufei furiously wiped his face while Duo chuckled. Patting his friend's back he rested a hand on his shoulder. In the brief silence a loud rumbling chorus could be heard. Usagi and Duo looked at one another, smiling. Turning to Quatre Duo placed a hand behind his head as he scratched it embarrassedly. 

                "Uh, Q-man? Do you have any food at the house?" Quatre grinned.

                "With you and Usagi I've learned to be stocked all the time." The group laughed heartily as everyone began to board the snowmobiles. Trowa paired up with Hiiro for the ride home as to let Usagi ride with Duo. Trowa had to admit it was good seeing them together again.

                Lunch went by fairly quickly. They were all tired from playing in the snow. When they'd reached the house they'd had a snowball fight before going in for lunch. The fight had lasted for two hours with no certain victor. After eating they had all turned in to their bedrooms to nap for an hour or so. That night they wanted to go out to celebrate the return of their friend. 

                As Usagi lay down on her bed, her curtains drawn to keep the light out, she began to think. Duo was back, he had returned to her. Her heart ached for some reason though. Whether it be in shock from having him back or pain for not having a detailed reason for his absence she wasn't sure. Shutting her eyes she tried to doze off. Her body ached from playing. Her leg was sore still and she slightly feared she might have overexerted herself. The pain in her chest was also quite intense, right behind the plate they'd put to keep her ribs aligned. She'd found out some time after her operations that her heart had been severely damaged by the blow and she would most likely never recover from it. Breathing deeply she tried to still the pain, physical and emotional.

                "Usagi?" The soft voice made her open her eyes, quite wearily too.

                "Come in." She was surprised at how much effort it took to speak now. The figure in her doorway moved away from the light and towards her bed, shutting the door behind them. She knew it was Duo the moment he had spoken. She could never forget his voice. He slowly lay next to her, wrapping his arms around her. Usagi went willingly, breathing in the soft yet spicy scent that was him.

                "Are you okay?" He questioned her after a moment of her ragged breathing, looking down upon her with worry. Nodding slightly she smiled up at him.

                "I'm still kind of weak." She saw Duo's eyes lose their warmth immediately.

                "I'm sorry. Usagi, I'm so sorry." Holding her closer he held back his tears. "It's my fault you're like this." Smiling softly she looked him in the eye, placing a finger over his lips.

                "It's because of you we're all alive. I wouldn't have had the strength to defeat Chaos on my own. It's my love for you that has kept me alive." His smile was watery as he kissed her chastely.

                "I was afraid you'd never love me again. I had to know, it's why I came back. I love you so much Usagi, you'll never know." She smiled in return.

                "Yes, I do know. Because it's the same love I hold for you. It's the love that has kept me alive, that has given me hope, that makes me smile." They shared one last kiss before dozing off into blissful sleep in one another's embrace. 

                "Attention." Duo stood quite nervously, tapping his glass gently to get the attention of those at his table. Setsuna, Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru had come back to Earth for the weekend to spend some time with Duo before returning to their posts. They sat respectively next to their 'dates' as they looked at Duo. He stood somewhere near the center of the table, looking expectantly at him. Duo glanced briefly at Trowa, Artemis and Hiiro before clearing his throat.

                "I just want to say how great it is to be back, and to be welcomed so warmly by those who mean the most to me." They all smiled at him. "I've waited millennia for this moment, and there's no time like the present to fulfill it. So with you, my closest and dearest friends, as my witnesses-." He paused for a minute getting on one knee next to Usagi. "I want to ask Usagi's hand in marriage." 

                Duo opened a small, black velvet box to reveal a ring of silver. The stone in the center was small and uniquely cut, glittering with an almost pinkish light. Usagi looked at him in utter shock when she saw it. So this is what had taken so long. This is what he'd been searching for. Throwing her arms around his neck she smiled through her tears.

                "Yes, of course I'll marry you!" When she pulled away she allowed Duo to slip the ring on her finger, feeling a surge of energy flow through her body as the silver made contact with her skin. "Where did you get this?" Duo smiled softly, everyone around them seeming to disappear.

                "Setsuna helped. She allowed me to use the time gates to return to the moon kingdom. After talking with your mother at the end of her reign, she allowed me to take a small piece of the crystal. It won't enable you to be a Senshi or the Princess, but I thought you might want to remember all of it." With a smile filled with tears she kissed him. Cheers broke out from their friends and soon the other people in the restaurant. Pulling away they touched foreheads, still in one another's embrace.

                "I love you Usagi."

                "I love you too Duo." With a smile they kissed once more, sealing the fate that was their future. 


	21. Epilogue

                A/N: This is it guys, the last and final chapter. Don't hate me for it, but I needed to finalize it. It is angst anyway. Hope it satisfies you. If any of you don't like it, e-mail me and tell me why. If enough of you hate it I might be up to considering a re-write. As for me, I'm quite happy with it. So long for now, and look for future updates of my other story, seeing as how that's my next project. Thanks for all of your support guys, it means a lot to me!

                The sky rained upon the earth, drenching the soil under the feet of the hundreds of morbid guests. One by one they approached, sharing condolences with the friends and family. The aged outer Senshi stood faithfully by their husbands as they wept, shedding tears themselves. Their children stood behind them, gently consoling them. Trowa and Michiru's son held their father as he wept bitterly, holding the umbrella above them. Wufei and Hotaru held their daughters between them, sobbing as their son held the umbrella for them. Quatre and Setsuna stood silently to the side, each with a hand on their young daughter, Quatre holding the umbrella for them. It was Hiiro and Haruka that wept the most, their youngest son standing before them and ineffectively consoling them. Their daughter held up the umbrella for them, tears steadily streaming her own face. 

                Then, behind the back of the coffin, stood two lone figures. No umbrella could be found above their heads as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder, emotionless as the rain drenched them to the bone. The elder stood with a hand on his sister's shoulder, holding her protectively. They looked almost identical, save the color of their eyes. They had their father's hair, even down the traditional braid that even their mother had worn. His father would have been proud to see him wearing an outfit similar to his own, priest like in many aspects. The cross would have made his smile. Their mother would have smiled and laughed to see her daughter wearing the same outfit, her wedding ring on a chain around her daughter's neck. They watched as one by one their friends came to say their farewells. Each placed a white rose upon the closed coffin, rain streaming off it in rivers. When Hiiro and Haruka had placed their rose, the two children went before the coffin.

                For some time they stood their, waiting as the guests came to them. Hundreds gave condolences yet were met with deaf ears. The children were as hard as stone, not even shivering in the cold autumn rain. Their friends came and stood by their sides, abandoning their parents for a short while. Yet even they couldn't reach the two souls. When the pilots and Senshi came to them, Rei grabbed her brother's hand. He turned his head to see her better, gently squeezing her hand in return. She wasn't alone in this, nor would she ever be. 

                "He was a great man, your mother would have been proud." Michiru's words brought back memories to both children. 

                It brought them to their childhood, to when she had still been alive. She had always been smiles and laughter, never had they seen her shed a tear. She'd given them everything from toys to pets to all her love. Materialistic items had never mattered to her, only her ring. When she'd told them of her past, it had first been as a fairy tale story for bedtime. It wasn't until they were older and had seen the old periodicals in the library that they'd come to realize it was the truth. That their aunts, Haruka, Setsuna, Hotaru and Michiru, had been the outer Senshi. That Rei had been named after her mother's best friend, and that Seiya had been named after a dear friend of the past. Artemis and Luna had been her guardians, and Diana had been her past daughter's best friend. Their respect and love had grown for her greatly that day. 

                Their father's story had come out much later, when they'd seen the silver cross in a black onyx box in his drawer. By then mother had already died, her heart finally failing her. Even when she'd been in all that pain she'd never let them know. It wasn't until the final hour that she'd let it all out, moaning in pain. They'd been amazed at hoe strong the bond between their parents had been. Even on her deathbed she wanted to make sure he was happy, that he would be alright. It made their hearts warm to think about that love, to know that it had been given to them as well, that they had shared in it. They'd had the perfect family.

                With a soft sob little Rae finally fell to her knees before the coffin, resting her head on it. The guests had all gone; all that remained were their Aunts and Uncles. Their best friends, also their cousins, stood several feet behind them in silence. Seiya knelt next to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind.  Her fourteen-year-old body was wracked with sobs as she sat there, the rain and thunder drowning them out. Desperately Seiya tried not to cry, telling himself that he was too old to cry. He had been seventeen when his mother had died; he'd been allowed to cry then. But now, now he couldn't. He was three years older, three years wiser and stronger. He was supposed to be here for Rae now. A hand on his shoulder made him look up.

                "It's okay to cry." Seeing Hiiro like that, tears streaming down his face and mixing with the rain broke his barriers. Turning he flung himself into the arms of his father's best friend. Haruka knelt on the ground next to Rae, stroking her back as she cried into her shoulder. 

                Three hours later found the group of seventeen adults and children sat in Quatre's large living room. The children were sitting on the floor, wearing sweaters and wrapped in blankets while popping popcorn. The adults sat on the couches, holding their loved ones. They were watching the videos of Usagi and Duo's marriage and life after. They were currently on the video of Seiya's birth. Hiiro was filming, walking into the hospital room where Usagi lay propped up on pillows, Seiya in her arms. She was disheveled, her hair clinging with the damp sweat to her face, her face pale. Duo sat on the bed next to her, stroking her head. Looking up at the camera he smiled before looking back at his wife.

                "Isn't she the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" Tears came to everyone's eyes. She looked horrible for she had just given birth, and here he was saying she was beautiful.

                "Oh, Duo." Shivers went down everyone's spine at the sound of her voice. Kissing her gently Duo then touched the nose of his son. The look on Usagi's face, the love. That's when they realized he was right. Usagi was the most beautiful thing they'd ever seen. Her love, her kindness, her joy, everything that she was, that's what made her beautiful. Even at her worst moment her qualities shone through, making her look like an angel. 

                Scooting over so that he was next to his sister, Seiya wrapped his arms around her as they watched the next videos. Rae was a little girl and Seiya was playing with her in the park. Their mother and father stood off to the side, smiling gently. When Usagi reached up to the necklace, a small silver light emanated before quickly disappearing. Reaching up Rae clutched the necklace as well, holding the memory of her mother. Seiya kissed his sister's forehead, embracing her tightly.

                "They're in heaven now Rae, no more pain for either of them." Rae nodded in return, a soft smile upon her face.

                No one knew quite why Duo had died. They'd refused an autopsy, claiming that it was a broken heart. And in a way it was. The bond they had shared for so many years, that bond of love, had linked them in more ways then one. Her pain was his, as his was hers. The death of his beloved had proven it. He'd lasted for three years for one reason and one reason only. His children. Her love existed through them, yet it simply wasn't enough. When Seiya had reached an appropriate age, as well as Rae, he'd simply given up. It wasn't long after that he'd been reunited with his love in Heaven.

                Years down the road Seiya and Rae would also find that love. Seiya eventually married Ami, Wufei and Hotaru's eldest daughter. Rae married Allen, Trowa and Michiru's son. The love between those couples mirrored the love they'd been shown by Duo and Usagi. The love that had formed bonds of friendship between enemies and had overlooked all flaws. That love lasted for centuries, growing more and more with each generation it lived through. It was through that love that Usagi's legacy was carried out. She may not have been alive to protect the planets, but her love was. Hers and Duo's love. 


End file.
